So amidst all of the packages you actually order this year, if you receive a package addressed to you but you didn't ...
So amidst all of the packages you actually order this year, if you receive a package addressed to you but you didn't order, BEWARE. The newest scam is called Brushing and it is on the rise, especially around the holidays.
So what is Brushing, and how do you avoid becoming a victim?
This scam is called brushing, and it has recently been popping up nationwide. Suddenly, boxes of unordered (by the recipient) merchandise from Amazon or other online sellers show up on your porch. The packages are most likely addressed to someone in your family. There is no return address, or sometimes it just appears to come from Amazon or another retailer, and you have no idea who ordered it. The items are varied and usually inexpensive and lightweight and inexpensive to ship. For example, a random item such as a set of sponges, a small toy, face masks or beauty items. So just why would such merchandise be sent to you if you didn’t request it?
Well there are two angles to this scam.
The first and original brushing scam was so that companies, usually foreign, third-party sellers send the items are simply using your address that they discovered online. They intend to make it appear that you wrote a glowing online review of their merchandise and that you are a verified buyer of that merchandise. They then post a fake, positive review to improve their products’ ratings, which means more sales. The payoff is highly profitable from their perspective. Give a little, get a lot.
So not terribly harmful to the victim, but no doubt unethical and dupes online shoppers into buying items that are falsely receiving great reviews.
But now, the scam has gotten worst and more nefarious.
When you receive a package that is addressed to you but no one in your household ordered it, chances are you are going to be curious about who sent this to you. Scammers know this. So they include a packing slip with a QR code to tell the recipient who sent them the item. Scanning this QR code can lead to malicious websites designed to steal personal information from your phone, making it a form of "quishing" (QR code phishing) scam.
So what can you do to stay safe?
1. Do not scan a QR code that you are not sure of. If you receive an unwanted package with a QR code, don't fall for it. By law you don't have to send it back, so keep it or toss the item. Just assume this is a scam.
2. Change your passwords to important accounts. In order to gain your information, the scammers might have more personal information than just your address.
3. If the retailer is listed and they have an online store on Amazon, Ebay or any other 3rd party seller, report the company to the seller. You can file a fraud report and ask that your fake review be taken down. The more reports of fraud, the faster that seller will be kicked off of the 3rd party selling site.
4. And never pay for the merchandise. If you receive an item you didn't order with a request to pay for it. Do not do it. You have no legal obligation to pay for items delivered to you mistakenly.
So be on the lookout for unwanted packages and warn your family and friends about this new scam. It is unfortunate that there are so many new scams to be on the lookout for, especially during the holidays. But the more you prepared you are, the less likely you will fall victim.