BBB Scam Alerts for November 2011

Nov. 30, 2011 - PRLog -- RALEIGH, N.C. (November 30, 2011) — In an effort to keep the public informed, Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina offers monthly Scam Alerts:

BBB is warning businesses to beware of a malicious e-mail that purports to be from BBB about a complaint filed against the company. The subject line of the e-mail is “Complaint #” followed by a nine-digit number. Legitimate BBB complaint numbers begin with 110. The body of the e-mail claims that the company has received a complaint and asks them to respond to the complaint by directing them to a malicious link shown as our national Web site at http://www.bbb.org, but actually is a disguised link to a third party Web site. BBB advises any business that receives this e-mail to not click on any links or reply to the message, and completely delete the e-mail from your inbox. If you receive an e-mail from BBB about a complaint filed against your business and need assistance in determining whether or not it is legitimate, contact BBB at (919) 277-4222.

BBB has been alerted that consumers are receiving calls from scam artists who claim that there is a virus on the consumer’s computer. The scam artists tell the consumer that they can fix the virus and requests upfront payment. Consumers allege that the scam artists use high pressure tactics and make it difficult for the consumer to end the conversation. BBB reminds consumers to never provide any credit card information or other personal information to an unknown caller.

BBB cautions consumers to beware of a telephone scam related to overdue payday loans. Consumers are receiving calls from people alleging to represent agencies, including the FBI and law firms. The caller claims to be collecting debts from well-known companies, but will not provide any information about the payday loan. The caller also attempts to instill fear by threatening the consumer with jail time and legal actions. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from consumers. In addition, the Constitution prohibits debtors from being jailed because of their inability to repay debts.

About the BBB serving Eastern North Carolina
Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit corporation serving 33 counties in eastern North Carolina. The organization is funded primarily by BBB Accredited Business fees from more than 3,000 local businesses and professional firms. BBB promotes integrity, consumer confidence and business ethics through business self-regulation in the local marketplace. Services provided by BBB include reports on companies and charitable organizations, general monitoring of advertising in the marketplace, consumer/business education programs and dispute resolution services. All services are provided at no cost to the public, with the occasional exception of mediation and arbitration. Visit bbb.org.