AUSTIN – Relying on reports from online security experts, Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be on the lookout for fraudulent e-mails and Web sites trying to take advantage of the current swine flu outbreak. 

“Scammers pay attention to national headlines on TV, radio and in the newspaper so when a major story like this breaks, they come out of the woodwork,” said Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas.

“Swine flu is currently the biggest story and scammers are hoping they can sell products based on the fear some might have about it.”

According to McAfee Avert Labs, an online security company, spammers began pumping out e-mails as soon as the first accounts of swine flu were being reported in the news, accounting for two percent of all spam messages. The messages include such subject lines as, “Madonna caught swine flu!” and “Swine flu in Hollywood!”

The company reports that the e-mails do not contain malware but often link to online pharmacies.

One Web site, www.noswineflu.com, charges $19.95 for a “Swine Flu Prevention Guide” that claims to give consumers “the exact steps you should follow in order to prepare yourself and your family for the possibility of a swine flu epidemic in your area.”

BBB offers the following advice to avoid swine flu scams:

 • Avoid opening e-mail from an unknown source and do not click on any links in the body of the e-mail or open any attachments. Instead, delete the e-mail or report it to the Federal Trade Commission by forwarding the e-mail to spam@uce.gov.

• Don’t believe online offers for vaccinations against swine flu because as of now, a vaccine does not exist.

For more information on swine flu and updates on progress in fighting the outbreak, go to www.cdc.gov/swineflu.

• Make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up to date and all operating system security patches have been installed.

If your computer becomes infected as the result of a spam e-mail about swine flu, you can report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

To check the reliability of a company, visit www.bbb.org.