It is too easy to catch a computer virus

Watch out for an email that says someone has filed a complaint about you with the Better Business Bureau. It’ll infect your computer.

An email dropped in my inbox at The Star just after 4 p.m. Tuesday that said it was from the Better Business Bureau, and that it has “filed the above mentioned complaint from one of your customers in respect of their business relations with you.

“The details of the consumer’s concerns are contained in enclosed document. Please give attention to this issue and inform us about your opinion as soon as possible.

“We kindly ask you to open the COMPLAINT REPORT (attached to this email) to reply on this complaint.

“We are looking forward to your prompt response.”

I smelled a rat even before I got to the bottom of the email, where it listed the BBB address as 3033 Wilson Blvd., Arlington Virginia.

Whatever could the Arlington BBB want with me, when I don’t run a business? Even if I did, it wouldn’t be anywhere near the Arlington jurisdiction.

And the wording was awkward; it sounded like it was written by someone who’s English isn’t all that good.

The email also showed a phone number – 1-703-276-0100 – so I called it, thinking the real number may have been used to add legitimacy.

Sure enough, a voice message said that anyone who received an email from the Arlington BBB about a complaint against them should not open it and delete it right away, because it is a phishing scam that could infect your computer.

It confirmed my suspicions that it was intended to install malware in my computer, which happened to me earlier this year. It completely locked up my computer and kept insisting that I use a credit card to buy and download debugging software.

I paid someone else to get rid of it, but I have been wary of emails that don’t quite add up ever since.

You should be, too.

  

   

     

 

 

 

 

 

                  

 

    

 

 

  

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