An unexpected parcel arriving from Amazon may have once suggested you were receiving a gift — but these days it is also, sadly, a giveaway of a scam.
Online fraudsters are increasingly able to access personal data to perform an elaborate trick in what is called a brushing scam.
Being the victim of a scam is not initially dangerous to you. However, as your personal data is compromised, there can often be further issues further down the line.
Here is what the scam entails and what it might mean if you receive a strange package.
What is a brushing scam?
A brushing scam is a fraudulent activity that involves an e-commerce seller sending unsolicited packages to people. The term “brushing” comes from the idea of brushing aside suspicion. The scam typically occurs in online marketplaces where sellers aim to boost their ratings or generate fake reviews.
E-commerce businesses can rely on positive reviews and high sales numbers to boost their portfolio. And sometimes the numbers can be artificially inflated.
If a scam operator has access to your details, they may send you a product they are looking to sell to gain higher approval ratings online and increase their reach.
They may need only your name and address to undertake the scam. But they can place an order, posing as you, and then write a five-star review praising the product. EBay or Amazon will see you are a registered buyer as you will confirm the details to the delivery driver.
If repeated thousands of times, it becomes a way of helping a seller gain a foothold in an e-commerce market.
How do brushing scams work?
Here’s how a brushing scam generally works:
- Personal information acquisition: The scammer obtains a person’s name and address, usually through various means such as data breaches, public directories, or even social media.
- Creation of fake accounts: The scammer then creates fake accounts on e-commerce platforms where they sell their own products.
- False purchases: The scammer uses these fake accounts to place orders for their own products using the addresses they obtained. They pay for these orders themselves, often using stolen credit card information or other illicit means.
- Delivery of unsolicited packages: To make the scam appear legitimate, the scammer ships the products to the addresses they acquired. The recipients, who are often unaware of the scam, receive unexpected packages at their doorstep.
- Fake reviews: After the packages are delivered, the scammer writes positive reviews on their own seller accounts using the names of the unsuspecting recipients. This helps boost their ratings and increase their visibility on the e-commerce platform.
Is it dangerous to me?
If you receive unsolicited packages through a brushing scam, it is advisable to be cautious and take steps to protect your personal information. It is also recommended to report the incident to the e-commerce platform and local authorities so they can investigate and take appropriate action against the fraudulent seller.
It is also a good idea to change passwords — setting up two-stage verification — and checking with your bank.
The scammer will not have your bank details but it does show that your details have fallen into wrong, if not the worst, hands. The scam also devalues reviews online.
However, it is also possible that there may have been a mistake within the eBay or Amazon supply chain and that there is nothing to worry about. So it is worth checking with the companies concerned first.
