Chicago, IL–(ENEWSPF)– At one time "imitation" may have been the sincerest form of flattery and in today’s scam-infested world using the Better Business Bureau name is usually a sign of a trustworthy business – usually!
Recently there have been emails stating that a company in Hong Kong needs help in collecting money from businesses in the United States and Canada. It will give companies helping it collect the money 10 percent of the collected amounts. It goes on to note that it obtained the names of companies receiving the email offering from the Better Business Bureau.
This is a scam and businesses are warned not to become involved nor should they send any information to the address listed on the email. Information being requested is often the first step in identity theft.
"We want our all businesses to be on guard for these kinds of messages and alert people in their organizations not to respond to these emails," said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois.
"On the one hand, this is a scam and a serious misuse of the BBB name. If we could find the perpetrators we would sue them," Bernas noted. "One the other hand, it is sort of a compliment to the Better Business Bureau when scammers actually consider our organization’s name so important as to use it in an effort to show credibility."
Bernas explained that anytime anyone is concerned about whether or not a business is accredited with the BBB, people can check www.bbb.org for free to see if a company is listed and their letter-grade rating.
For more information on this and other similar scams, please visit www.bbb.org
From: Mei Ah Group [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 10:30 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Account Representative
Hello There,
I am Mr. Patrick Kiang Chi, a director of Mei Ah Group, Hong Kong. We deal on Electronics/Industrial Machinery and we export our products to Canada/America and Europe.
We want you to help us act as our account receivables/payables with respect to our customers in Canada and the United States of America. It has been very difficult collecting our payments from clients in this region. We had to personally come to Canada, and the United States to meet with these clients, but it has not been too easy, hence we are contacting you immediately. We got your profile from your country’s Better Business Bureau.
My company is willing to offer you 10% of every payment that comes in from you to us. Please note that the clients will be contacting you directly. If you are interested, please contact us using the telephone/fax or email address below, so that we can provide you with more information regarding this transaction.
Mei Ah International Limited
Units 15-28, 17/F Metro Centre Phase l,
32 Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon
TEL/FAX: 852-3006-5306
EMAIL: [email protected]
Please note that your area of specialization or occupation is of no relevance in your resolve to assist us. Upon receipt of your response, we will provide you with more information.
Regards,
Patrick Kiang Chi
www.meiah.com
As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reports on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.
