The On Guard On Line is a regular source of valuable information for our weekly blog. A recent posting asked, “Have you gotten an email with the subject line “Pending consumer complaint” that looks like it came from the FTC?” According to Consumer Education Specialist Amy Hebert, the email warns that a complaint against the recipient has been filed with the FTC. It asks the recipient to click on a link or attachment for more information or to contact the FTC.
These emails pull out all the stops to look official: They have an FTC seal, references to the “Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA)” and a “formal investigation,” and what look like real FTC links. The truth is that they’re fakes.
The FTC has heard from many people that emails like this are making the rounds. If you get one, PLEASE DO NOT OPEN IT. Don’t click on the links. If you click on the link, it may install malware on your computer. Malware can cause your device to crash and can be used to monitor and control your online activity, steal your personal information, send spam, and commit fraud. You can forward the email to spam@uce.gov, but then delete as soon as you do.
For more information on identity theft best practices, please visit www.hvshred.com