BBB Tip of the Week: Brush up on brushing scams
Have you gotten a package on your doorstep and have no idea where it came from? You don’t remember ordering anything but it kind of feels like Christmas. Better Business Bureau is warning consumers there is a scary downside to this recent scam that seems to be appearing all over the country. You are not the one who hit the jackpot and, in reality, a scam company is the real winner.
The scam is called brushing. Suddenly boxes of unordered (by the recipient) merchandise from Amazon begin arriving. There is no return address except that of Amazon. The receiver has no idea who ordered the items. They are varied. For example, in one case a humidifier, a hand warmer, a flashlight, a Bluetooth speaker and a computer vacuum cleaner arrived unordered.
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 and your Amazon information. Their intention is to make it appear as though 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 for them. The payoff is highly profitable from their perspective.
Why it’s bad news for you
The fact that someone was able to have the items sent to you as if you purchased them indicates they probably have some of your Amazon account information. Certainly, they have your name and address, and possibly, your phone number and a password. Once the information is out there, it could be used for numerous crooked enterprises.
The fake online review angle is only one way they benefit. By using the brushing scam, they also are increasing their sales numbers. After all, they aren’t really purchasing the items, since the payment goes right back to them. Increased sales numbers, even though padded with fake purchases, look good for the company and help lead to more sales.
Then there is the “porch pirate” angle. There are instances where thieves use other people’s mailing addresses and accounts, then watch for the delivery of the package so they can steal it from your door before you get it.
What can you do?
Notify Amazon. Brushing and fake reviews are against Amazon’s policies, so contact its customer service if this happens to you. The company will investigate and take action on the bad actor. Go directly to Amazon’s website to get the contact information. Be cautious of searching for support phone numbers.
Change your account passwords. This may be a sign that your personal information has been compromised. You may want to consider a password manager service to improve account security. Keep a close eye on your credit report 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.
For other questions you may have regarding shipments of unordered merchandise, contact your local BBB, or visit BBB.org. Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.