ATLANTA, GA – Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning businesses and consumers about a recent wave of phishing emails falsely claiming to be from BBB. These emails often allege that a complaint has been filed against a business, reference supposed legal or compliance violations, or request that recipients review an attached document. The goal is to trick recipients into clicking malicious links, opening attachments, or providing sensitive information.

These fraudulent messages frequently use BBB logos, branding, fake case numbers, and the names of individuals claiming to represent BBB in an effort to appear legitimate. In many cases, the emails create a false sense of urgency and pressure recipients to respond immediately.

"Scammers know businesses take complaints and compliance matters seriously," said BBB, Greater Atlanta. "They are using the BBB name and reputation to create fear and urgency in hopes that someone will click a link before verifying the message."

What businesses and consumers should do:

• Go directly to BBB.org and log in to your free BBB account to verify whether a complaint or customer review has actually been submitted. If a consumer has filed a complaint or review with BBB, it will appear within your BBB account portal.

• Carefully inspect the sender's email address for misspellings or unfamiliar domains.

• Keep antivirus software and security updates current.

• Report suspicious emails that misuse the BBB name or logo. Forward the original email to [email protected] as an attachment if possible, so headers remain intact.

What businesses and consumers should NOT do:

• Do not click links or open attachments contained in unexpected emails claiming to be from BBB.

• Do not rely on links provided in a suspicious email to access complaint or review information.

• Do not provide passwords, login credentials, banking information, or sensitive data.

• Do not respond to urgent demands without independently verifying the request.

• Do not assume an email is legitimate simply because it contains BBB branding or logos.

BBB reminds businesses and consumers that the safest way to confirm whether a BBB communication is legitimate is to navigate directly to BBB.org through a web browser — not by clicking links in an email — and log in to your free BBB account. If there is an active complaint or customer review requiring a response, it will be available directly within the account portal.

BBB will never ask for passwords, remote access to your devices, or sensitive information through unsolicited emails. When in doubt, contact your local BBB directly before taking any action.

For more information about BBB impostor scams, visit BBB's "How to Spot a BBB Impostor" resource center and report suspicious activity to BBB Scam Tracker.