Times News
TWIN FALLS — Attorney General Lawrence Wasden says scammers are sending emails to businesses, claiming to represent his office.
The emails, allegedly sent by “The Office of The State Attorney General,” are generically addressed to “business owner.” They claim a complaint has been filed against the business, Wasden said in a release.
A link in the email promises to take recipients to a document that can be used to respond to the complaint. In reality, the link is a zip file that installs a computer virus used to gather sensitive information, possibly leading to identity theft and fraud.
“Unfortunately, these scammers are persistent,” Wasden said. “This is another example of fraudulent people pretending to be government officials in an effort to dupe consumers. As I’ve stated before, my office will never send unsolicited emails about complaints.”
A business owner and Idaho State Bar officials notified Wasden’s office of the scam last week. Consumers should not open these emails or click on any links, but delete the emails and contact his office to report the scam.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division can be reached at 1-800-432-3545.
