I got 7 versions of this today, at 2 different email addresses. They included an attachment called bbb_logo.jpg but no graphics in the message body. A friend posted about them on a listserve and said that clicking the link downloads a virus.
This scam has been around for a while. Here’s an article about a similar batch in 2007.
Version 1:
Sender: ::Better Business Bureau:: (support@bbb.org)
Subject: BBB service Re: Case # 87348414
Text: Attn: Owner/Manager
The Better Business Bureau has been sent the above mentioned complaint from one of your associates on the subject of their business relations with you.
The details of the consumer’s concern are included in attached file.
Please examine this issue and notify us of your opinion.
Please click here to respond this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to http://38.106.32.183/09d78c/index.html)
We look forward to your prompt reply.
Sincerely,
Roland Dani
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
Version 2:
Same sender
Subject: Re: BBB Case # 31889235
Text:
Attn: Owner/Manager
The Better Business Bureau has been filed the above mentioned complaint from one of your associates in respect of their dealings with you.
The details of the consumer’s concern are included in enclosed file.
Please give attention to this case and advise us of your standpoint.
We kindly ask you to click here to answer this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to the same link as above – http://38.106.32.183/09d78c/index.html).
We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely yours,
Louis Gerald
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
Version 3:
same sender
Subject: Re: Case # 23378891
Text:
Attn: Owner/Manager
The Better Business Bureau has received the above-referenced complaint from one of your customers on the subject of their dealings with you.
The details of the consumer’s concern are presented in enclosed document.
Please examine this problem and let us know about your point of view.
We kindly ask you to click here to reply this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to http://rashidyounus.com/a40d6b/index.html).
We look forward to your urgent reply.
Sincerely yours,
Stacie Nieves
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
Version 4:
same sender again, but a different subject
Subject: BBB Complaint activity report
Text:
Hello,
The Better Business Bureau has got the above-referenced complaint from one of your clients in respect of their dealings with you.
The detailed information about the consumer’s concern is explained in attached document.
Please review this problem and notify us of your standpoint.
We kindly ask you to click here to answer this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to http://queplacer.com/393304/index.html)
We look forward to your prompt attention to this matter.
Faithfully yours,
Louis Gerald
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
Version 5:
Sender: ::Better Business Bureau:: (info@bbb.org)
Subject: BBB Complaint activity report
Text:
Dear Sirs,
The Better Business Bureau has received the above mentioned complaint from one of your customers on the subject of their business relations with you.
The details of the consumer’s concern are presented in enclosed file.
Please review this question and notify us of your opinion.
Please click here to answer this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to http://38.106.32.183/09d78c/index.html)
We look forward to your prompt reply.
Sincerely yours,
Paula Tap
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
Version 6:
Sender: ::Better Business Bureau::(manager@bbb.org)
Subject: Re: Case # 29354013
Text:
Attn: Owner/Manager
The Better Business Bureau has been sent the above mentioned complaint from one of your associates on the subject of their business relations with you.
The details of the consumer’s concern are contained in enclosed document.
Please give attention to this problem and notify us of your point of view.
We kindly ask you to click here to reply this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to http://rcegroup.net/34100d/index.html)
We look forward to your urgent reply.
Yours faithfully,
Anita Emil
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
Version 7:
Sender: ::Better Business Bureau:: (alerts@bbb.org)
Subject: Your customer’s complaint
Text:
Dear Sirs,
The Better Business Bureau has received the above mentioned complaint from one of your associates regarding their dealings with you.
The detailed information about the consumer’s concern is included in attached document.
Please review this matter and inform us about your standpoint.
Please click here to reply this complaint. (The “click here” link leads to http://38.106.32.183/09d78c/index.html)
We look forward to your prompt reply.
Sincerely,
Paula Tap
Better Business Bureau
________________________________________
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100
Fax: 1 (703) 525.8277
dominik says
Thanks for posting this info. I received two of these today. Luckily I clicked on the link in my Android phone so it didn’t download anything as far as I could tell.
KLD says
We had the Paula Tap and Louis Gerald versions. Again, not attachment other than graphic and the link to the alleged BBB in Arlington, VA
RRT says
I received this as well, but opened. Not sure what will happen.
Thanks for the information.
JSG says
I have gotten a few of these over the past week, at several addresses. They get points for a decent attempt, but it all falls apart when you check links and headers. Most of them have been coming from IP’s in the Netherlands, as far as I could tell. The one this morning was from “Shawna Dennis”.
So heads up to all – Do not click! Delete and report as Spam!
Jana says
I received the Paula Tap version, but it used my real name in the salutation. I always read the URL for vague emails like this and, like other spam, it looked skeezy.
It’s cool that your page came up when I searched for a spam confirmation.
Debra says
I live in Canada and rcvd one of these yesterday and one todAy and thought why the heck is BBB contacting me from the US??? Then I went to the arlington fx website and noted the different phone numbers and are codes and looked on google for BBB scAms and found your note. Mine matches one of yours perfectly! Thanks for posting
Lisa says
I also received the Paula Tap version today. I didn’t click it; googled the info first and found this note right away. Thanks so much for posting.
lewis says
I got one today-just now. Never clicked on the link. Spammed it and deleted it.
Gerald one..
Theresa Urban says
We received the Gerald one. Will delete it, thanks for posting this.
Joe S says
Thanks for the info. I scrolled over the link to see the URL & realized it was a bunch of crap! What a bunch of losers.
Slim says
The version I just received:
Dear Sirs,
The Better Business Bureau has been sent the above mentioned complaint from one of your customers concerning their dealings with you.
The detailed information about the consumer’s concern is presented in enclosed file.
Please review this issue and notify us of your opinion.
Please click here to reply this complaint.
We look forward to your urgent attention to this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Shawna Dennis
Better Business Bureau
Robert says
I got a new version today with sender = manager@bbb.org (risk_manager@bbb.org) and signer = Shawna Dennis.
Kara says
I just wanted to thank you for putting the email you rec’d up because I got it the other day (12/9/11) & it came into my regular email & I replied to it (Subject: Re: BBB Case # 79827855 – it came from admin@bbb.org/manager@bbb.org) Please click for complaint (didn’t do that thank goodness) The persons name was Paula Tap, Better Business Bureau – at bottom it says Council of Better Business Bureaus w/address & numbers
& then I just got it again -today 12/13/11 (see below – but it I found it in my Junk Mail folder) & I thought I better check this out.
Same as the 1st one, but it also had this link to click on w/a name:
We encourage you to click here to answer this complaint.
We look forward to your urgent reply.
Sincerely,
Roland Dani
Better Business Bureau
John Vint says
Stacy Stover is the latest name. Received it a few moments ago – 17 Feb., 2012.
Robert says
They’re on the rampage again. I got 12 of these today and about the same number yesterday.
Beth says
It has finally hit the midwest….We received it on 3/2/12 with slightly different wording but they didn’t even bother to try to disguise their email address as totally different from BBB. I’ve learned the hard way never to click on anything in an email but go directly to the legitimate websites and/or google for scam information. Thank you for posting!
Cody says
I got it today:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello,
The Better Business Bureau has received the above mentioned complaint from one of your associates in respect of their business relations with you.
The detailed information about the consumer’s concern is contained in attached document.
Please examine this issue and advise us of your position.
We encourage you to open the ATTACHED REPORT to answer this complaint.
We look forward to your urgent reply.
Sincerely,
James Siena
Dispute Counselor
Better Business Bureau
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Had a zip file as an attachment.
Jenn says
I just got Paula Tap, complaint councellor, and clicked on it via my BB. I quickly went back and googled it. I got this site. I work in Wpg at a not for profit, and once I seen the US link I became confused, so happy I looked further into it! BBB needs to take action!
Robert says
I got a new batch of these this week:
Another version had the subject:
RE: Case# 0017719: Nick Fuller
I also got this version:
Other versions had the subjects:
BBB SBQ Form #054184597(Ref#54-054184597-0-4)
BBB SBQ Form #716020216(Ref#01-716020216-0-4)
BBB SBQ Form #231330480(Ref#84-231330480-0-4)
Robert says
According to my anti-virus (Avast!), the latest batch of these had virus attachments. Avast removed the viruses. I don’t know whether it’s responsible for the mangled look of the message. Here’s one example what I got. The case numbers varied.
Robert says
I also got about 20 BBB spams that didn’t have virus attachments. Those ones wanted me to click on a link. These were formatted decently, with a blue BBB header labeled “Better Business Bureau Start With Trust”. Even though the HTML message looked fine the first line of the message said: “Sorry, your e-mail does not support HTML format. Your messages can be viewed in your browser” Clicking the view online link leads to an infected site. This site (which shows what the messages look line) says the links deliver malware.
Here’s the text:
Gary Johnson says
I just got one of these today and I am not a member of the BBB. Thanks for the post of the information.
Mine came form the
Better Business Bureau
3013 Wilson Blvd, Suite 600 Arlington, VA 24001
Kyle Jones
Dispute Advisor
Better Business Bureau
This was the information on the letter.
Robert says
I got about 2 dozen new ones today. They’re still at it.