Amazingly real looking phishing emails supposedly from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and also “from” the IRS, are making the rounds. In the case of the BBB email, it claims that someone has lodged a complaint with the BBB against your business. This latest batch is particularly sinister because when you click on the link to look at the “complaint”, it downloads a particularly malicious keylogger on to your computer. The phish email has been tailored for and targeted specifically to apparently hand-selected high level executives, and so far it has taken in over 1400 of these high level execs, capturing all of their interactive data (not just passwords, but bank accounts, and more)!
Here is an example of the spoofed phishing email:
From: Better Business Bureaus
Subject: Complaint Case Number 673611620 (or BBB Complaint for John Doe)
Dear John Doe,
You have received a complaint in regards to your business services.
Use the link below to view the complaint details:
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND VIEW DOCUMENTS FOR CASE #BCB9EF
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Complaint Case Number: BCB9EF
Complaint Made by Consumer Mrs. Marcia E. Worthington
Complaint Registered Against: John Doe of DOE & ASSOCIATES
Date: 05/14/2007/
Instructions on how to resolve this complaint as well as a copy of the original complaint can be obtained using the link below:
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND VIEW DOCUMENTS FOR CASE #BCB9EF
Disputes involving consumer products and/or services may be arbitrated. Unless they directly relate to the contract that is the basis of this dispute, the following claims will be considered for arbitration only if all parties agree in writing that the arbitrator may consider them:
• Claims based on product liability;
• Claims for personal injuries;
• Claims that have been resolved by a previous court action, arbitration, or written agreement between the parties.
The decision as to whether your dispute or any part of it can be arbitrated rests solely with the BBB.
The BBB offers its members a binding arbitration service for disputes involving marketplace transactions. Arbitration is a convenient, civilized way to settle disputes quickly and fairly, without the costs associated with other legal options.
© 2007 Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
According to the Internet security site, SecureWorks.com, “If the victim downloads the ‘case documents’ they get an executable file which (if ran) will load the trojan BHO onto the system. … Once installed, the BHO intercepts all interactive requests/posts to remote websites within Internet Explorer. The data is sent to a PHP script at a third-party website which has been compromised by the attacker to act as a repository for the stolen data, most often through a PHP shopping cart program.”
Adds the Secure Works site, “The impact of such a wide leakage of information on a single person can not be overstated – the most private parts of peoples’ lives can easily be seen in a snapshot of who they send webmail to and who they receive it from, what websites they browse, what they shop for online, bank and credit card account numbers, social security numbers, online payment accounts, their home address entered into shipping forms, what prescriptions they have refilled online, etc. – all things that the victim might think are being transferred privately via SSL, but are being secretly stored in a criminal’s database somewhere. Couple that with the high-profile jobs that most of these victims have and it suggests that in some cases, they might have a lot to lose if certain aspects of their personal lives were revealed. This kind of thinking is surely not lost on the criminals behind this scheme.”
The Better Business Bureau says that the U.S. Secret Service is on the case, and requests that “Any business that receives one of the unauthorized emails should report the incident by forwarding it to:
Special Agent Casey Stumpf
U.S. Secret Service/ECTF
Casey.Stumpf@usss.dhs.gov
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Assistance Suggestion
We were surprised recently to find that Certified IRS Solutions (CIS) had closed its doors and gone out of business. The only reason we knew was because a former client of Certified IRS Solutions came to our office for help to resolve their IRS to tax matter. That person had a letter, or rather a posting, to a website advising all clients of Certified IRS Solutions, they had gone out of business and would not longer be dealing with their tax matters. At this point, we can only hope those who see this posting will contact us to give us an opportunity to help them end their IRS nightmare. We stand ready to serve those who will give us the chance. Even though, we do not have their CIS file, there are ways to find out the status of a case with IRS..
We have experienced this before in the mid 90’s when a CPA Firm closed its doors and left its employees unpaid and its clients in a lurch. However, in that case the CPA notified us and in one weekend we received file cabinets full of client files in progress. It took a great deal of time, almost two months, to contact all those clients and have them come into the office and meet with us to determine what progress had been made on their case and what needed to be done to see the matter to conclusion. We met with clients everyday, 12 hours a day, for approximately two months. Understandably, people were mad at having paid money and gotten nothing done by the CPA, but we were able to get past that. They were able to obtain the necessary funds for us to continue the work that the CPA had not done and see the IRS problem matters to ultimate resolution.
Since we have done this before, we are quite certain that we can help those former clients of Certified IRS Solutions. For tax practitioners who have not done this before, it might seem overwhelming to pick up a case in the middle and know what has happened in the past and know what needs to be done in the future to bring the matter to a successful close. Because we have done this before, and, therefore, have experience, its not so overwhelming and we welcome the opportunity.
We realize that former clients of Certified IRS Solutions feel that they have been “burned� and would certainly want to check out anyone they deal with in the future. We welcome that scrutiny. The President and CEO of Redd & Greaves, P.C. has been representing taxpayers in tax controversy matters for 30 years. In that period of time hundreds of clients have been served and the BBB record for Redd & Greaves, P.C. shows only one complaint. The one person who filed a complaint with BBB has also posted a complaint at this website, Ripoff Report. In thirty years of practice, one person retained us with every intention of allowing us to complete the work and then sue us for a refund of his retainer by claiming he never signed the engagement agreement and never intended to do so. However, we think our record of thirty years with one complaint speaks for itself. We are proud of that record.
If the former clients of Certified IRS Solutions can find one BBB compliant within acceptable limits, we welcome you to contact us for an opportunity to discuss your IRS problems in a no obligation meeting or telephone conference. We are licensed to represent taxpayers in every state in the U.S.A., so no matter where you are we can help.
There is life after the IRS and we would like to help you get there. We have many satisfied clients that are sleeping well at night because their IRS matters are behind them.
We welcome you to check out our website at www.rhgeas.com for more information about us, biographies on the shareholders and a map to our location. Also, you may check our blog at reddgreavespc@wordpress.com.
Sincerely,
C. Collis Redd, EA
President & CEO
Redd & Greaves, P.C.
8866 Gulf Freeway, Suite #340
Houston, Tx 77017
Office phone: (713) 947-9666
Office fax: (713) 947-7753
Email: info@rhgeas.com
Certified IRS solutions has stopped talking to me. I have paid my full amount and now the IRS has turned down my offer and I can’t get a response fron IRS solutions.
WHY???????????????????
LoL