We are living in an age when, with a press of a finger, you can get just about anything delivered to your front door, sometimes within hours, including clothes, technology, and even your groceries.
Just a few years ago, this instant consumer gratification would have seemed far-fetched. As with many technological advances, this evolution in e-commerce brings great efficiencies to our lives, but it also brings the potential for new problems. With the increase of online shopping, there has been a corresponding increase in brushing scams.
What is a ‘brushing scam’?
As the United States Postal Inspection Service explains, when a customer receives a package addressed to them that they didn’t order, it may be the result of a brushing scam.
The intention of brushing scams is to give the impression that the recipient is a verified buyer who has written positive online reviews of the merchandise, meaning they write a fake review in your name. These fake reviews help to fraudulently boost or inflate the products’ ratings and sales numbers, which they hope increases actual sales in the long run. Since the merchandise is usually cheap and low-cost to ship, the scammers perceive this as a profitable pay-off, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
You may think to yourself, “Wait, free stuff is great though!”
The downside of this is that your address is online for the world to see. These packages are usually from international, third-party sellers, who obtained your personal information through nefarious means, possibly as the result of a data breach. They may not stop here, as they could try to use your information for illicit activities in the future.
Another reason to be careful with unsolicited packages is they could have something harmful in them. That’s why it is important to learn how to identify a suspicious package
A suspicious package is any package causing concern about its content because of its appearance or labeling. Brushing scams usually do not have a return address, which is cause for suspicion.
When you receive a package that you didn’t order, and the package does not have a return address, you should use extreme caution when handling it. It is important to keep in mind that suspicious packages can have explosives, or other life-threatening items inside, including razor blades or poisonous substances, like anthrax.
There are three key characteristics of a suspicious package:
- Appearance
- Unusual Labeling
- Suspicious Signs
If you see any of these key characteristics, you should call U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 and call local authorities as well.
Brushing scams are rampant these days. Yes, everyone loves free stuff. Yet it is important to avoid opening the package if it’s from somewhere you do not recognize.
What NOT to Do:
- Shake or empty the contents of any suspicious package or letter
- Carry the package
- Put it on a stable surface
What You SHOULD Do:
- If possible, put the letter and/or package in a plastic bag or other sealable container
- Wash Hands
- Call Postal Inspectors
At KDNFS, our goal is to increase your personal safety while reducing risk. To learn more about security services we can offer to your business, place of worship, school, or government buildings, please email or call us at info@kdnfs.com or (609) 635-5037.
