EEOC Issues Warning About Internet Fraud

“Phishing” Scam Contains Virus

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently notified the business community of a bogus email being distributed, purportedly from the federal agency, about a harassment complaint. The EEOC is warning the public because the “phishing” email contains a Trojan Horse Virus, which will likely harm the computer on which the recipient clicks on the email’s offered web link or opens the attachment.

The phony email, which includes the subject line “Harassment Complaint Update For,” contains links that allegedly provide details of a discrimination claim. The contents of the email include an EEOC logo and the heading, “Employer Liability for Harassment” followed by the language: “This is an automated email that confirms the registration of harassment complaint #number . . . this harassment complaint can lead to law enforcement action. You can download and print a copy of this complaint to keep for your personal records here . . . Our staff will keep you updated regarding the status of our investigation.”

According to its policy, the EEOC notifies employers of the filing of discrimination charges through the U.S. Postal Service, and does not use email because of security concerns. Therefore, the EEOC urges employers that receive emails notifying them of the filing of a charge to delete them immediately.

Note: This article was published in the August – December 2007 “Double Issue” of The Employment Law Authority.