The BBB name is being used in a "phishing" scam in which recipients receive a message from various addresses @complaint.bbb.org and idtheft@bbb.org (which is not a real address). The message, with some variations, begins:

This is an automated email that confirms the registration of your complaint case number : [CASE NUMBER] filed by your company on September 17/2007 concerning Online Identity Theft. While The Better Business Bureau Online does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint helps us investigate fraud, and can lead to law enforcement action.

• Do NOT click on any of the links or open any of the attachments.
• Please help us in our work with the authorities by forwarding the email and its headers to phishing@cbbb.bbb.org. Instructions for Outlook users are below.
1. Open the message (not the attachment), select ‘View’ from the menu, and then ‘Options’ from the drop down. Or, right click the message in the list of emails and select ‘Options’ from the menu.
2. At the bottom of the Message Options dialogue box that opens is a box labelled "Internet Headers" which contains the information we need to track the attacks.
3. Select the information in the box and copy it by hitting Ctrl-C on your keyboard, or right-clicking your mouse and selecting "Copy."
4. Close the dialogue box and select "Forward" in the message. Paste the headers at the top of the message and address the email to phishing@cbbb.bbb.org.

Thank you for your diligence and help in stopping these malicious attacks.

Beware! The BBB name continues to be used in "phishing" scams. Fraudulent emails containing malicious links and viruses have been sent to businesses and consumers around the country claiming to contain information on a complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau. None of the BBB's computer and email systems are involved in this hoax. The BBB and authorities are working together to stop these continued attacks.

• The email reply address is fake, like those listed below. (Please note: the phishers are constantly changing their tactics but so far they have been using addresses similar to these.)
  • complaints@bbb.org
  • operations@bbb.org
  • consumer-complaints@bbb.org
  • complains-serv@bbb.org
  • compl-srv@bbb.org
  • complntscentercase@bbb.org
  • fraud@bbb.org

• The body of the email begins with text similar to the below:

You have received a complaint in regards to your business services. The complaint was filled By [Complainant Name] on 6/12/2007/

Complaint Case Number: 98285532
Complaint made By Consumer [Complainant Name]
Complaint registered against : - [Company Name]
Date: 6/12/2007/

• Do NOT click on any of the links or open any of the attachments.
• Please help us in our work with the authorities by forwarding the email and its headers to phishing@cbbb.bbb.org. Instructions for Outlook users are below.
1. Open the message (not the attachment), select ‘View’ from the menu, and then ‘Options’ from the drop down. Or, right click the message in the list of emails and select ‘Options’ from the menu.
2. At the bottom of the Message Options dialogue box that opens is a box labelled "Internet Headers" which contains the information we need to track the attacks.
3. Select the information in the box and copy it by hitting Ctrl-C on your keyboard, or right-clicking your mouse and selecting "Copy."
4. Close the dialogue box and select "Forward" in the message. Paste the headers at the top of the message and address the email to phishing@cbbb.bbb.org.

Thank you for your diligence and help in stopping these malicious attacks.