Businesses: Beware Fake Consumer Complaints

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

Image Not Available

From the Los Angeles Times

That kind of malware, as security experts call it, can enable a hacker to “gain access to personal financial documents on a computer that might have account numbers or social security numbers,” said Beth Givens, director of Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group in San Diego.

The email subject line is, in caps, “NOTIFICATION OF CONSUMER COMPLAINT.” It contains a link that installs the software mentioned above. The FTC recommends you just delete it: They don’t resolve individual consumer complaints, and if you’re involved in something bigger, you’re going to be getting a lot more than an email.

Get smarter with your money!

Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.