Phishing e-mails claiming to be from Buy.com could contain virus

Just because the note says "Buy.com" on it doesn't mean you should buy it: Consumers are being warned about order confirmation emails that appear to come from Buy.com, but may actually contain a virus and redirect people to other websites operated by criminals.

The Better Business Bureau serving Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Montana issued an alert over the emails, which resemble invoices and have been sent to people who haven't purchased anything.

The email thanks the recipient for ordering from Buy.com--and then recommends that the person visit the site's homepage to check on the status of an order by clicking on a link in the email. It also tells the recipient to click on the "My Account" link on the website the person is directed to.

BBB officials say the message is a phishing email that could contain a Trojan horse virus, which installs itself on a victim's computer and could allow a remote user to gain access, then steal personal information or take over the machine.

Buy.com could not be reached for comment.

Similar phishing emails and texts have been reported in recent months. The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team collects reports on such scams. Spoof emails also pretend to represent companies such as eBay and Citibank; a good rule of thumb is to inform the real companies of such emails so that they can investigate them.