For many, online shopping is the go-to way to check off holiday gift lists. But what if you received a package you weren’t expecting? It could be part of an elaborate scam that’s making its rounds this holiday season.
Imagine returning home to find a package on your front step, but it’s not something you ordered, and there’s no return address. Is it a gift? A mistake? Unfortunately, it’s likely a brushing scam.
According to the Better Business Bureau, brushing scams are on the rise. But what exactly is a brushing scam?
Scammers are sending packages to random people in an attempt to bait them into scanning a QR code. Katalin Parti, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Virginia Tech and cybercrime expert, warns, “These have a QR code in it–It is to invite people to scan the code and that verifies their information so that they can get more sensitive information and data.”
Parti strongly advises against scanning those codes. She adds, “Be mindful of how these scammers work, and don’t send a package without a returning address or consider giving a heads up to the person you are sending a package or message to.”
So, what should you do if you receive an unexpected package? Experts recommend notifying the retailer right away. If the package came from a company like Amazon or another major retailer, report it to them immediately. Be sure to check your accounts for suspicious activity and change your passwords as a precaution.
One important thing to keep in mind: the BBB says you are legally allowed to keep any merchandise that arrives without being ordered. However, experts note that the items in these scam packages are often low-quality and cheap.
Information from the Better Business Bureau: Free boxes of merchandise from Amazon or other companies may sound like a dream come true, but it’s usually bad news for consumers affected. Brushing scams happen when random boxes of unordered merchandise show up at your door with no return address. The items are usually varied and are usually lightweight, like ping pong balls, face masks, or seeds from China.
Why would such merchandise be sent to you if you didn’t request it? The companies, usually foreign, third-party sellers that are sending 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.
This can be bad news for you, because if someone has sent items to you as if you purchased them, it likely means they have some of your personal information, like your name, address, and phone number. Once the information is online, it could be used for numerous crooked enterprises.
While BBB Serving Western VA hasn’t seen any of this scam happening here in our hometowns, that does not mean the chance does not exist. What should you do if you receive a package that you did not order?
- Notify the retailer. Brushing and fake reviews are against Amazon’s policies, so contact Amazon Customer Service if this happens to you and the product appears to come from Amazon. They will investigate and take action against the bad actor. Amazon also takes security seriously and encourages customers to report fraudulent purchases or other security issues. If the package appears to come through another established business, go directly to their website to get their contact information. If you prefer to contact the business by phone, be cautious about searching for support phone numbers.
- Attempt to identify the sender. If you can identify the sender of unordered packages, consider checking for potential false reviews in your name - and ask for the reviews to be removed.
- Check your account for recent orders. Some targets of brushing scams can be deluged with unordered packages, creating a serious problem. If this happens, consider whether to refuse package delivery at your home address and temporarily direct items that you ordered to a package acceptance service.
- Change your account passwords. This may be a sign that personal information has been compromised, and to improve account security, keep a close eye on credit reports and credit card bills.
- You are allowed to keep the merchandise. The Federal Trade Commission says you have a legal right to keep unordered merchandise.
- Protect your identity. BBB advises to take all necessary precautions to prevent identity theft. Be careful when entering personal information online, and ensure you use a secure site.