ROCKFORD — The Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois is warning of fake H1N1 e-mails addressed as being from the Center of Disease Control that began reaching e-mail boxes Tuesday.
The fraudulent phishing e-mails refer to a state vaccination program supposedly sponsored by the CDC, the legitimate government agency called the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The message states that anyone who is age 18 or older must complete a vaccination profile on the CDC’s Web site www.cdc.gov whether they intend to be vaccinated or not. They are then instructed to click on the supplied link and provide the required information.
Users who click on the link are at risk of having a malicious virus installed on their computers.
“As we understand it, the virus is a version of the Banker Trojan, which steals usernames and passwords when you are online doing your banking” said Dennis Horton, Director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois.
The Better Business Bureau said tips to prevent becoming an online victim include not following unsolicited links and not opening or responding to unsolicited e-mail messages, using caution when visiting unfamiliar Web sites, and using caution when entering personal information online.
The bureau also said any offer or business may be checked out before making a buying decision by visiting www.bbb.org.
