SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
SCARS™ Scam Warning: New “Brushing” Parcel Scam
Warning Of New ‘Brushing’ Scam: Packages From Amazon, Other Retailers Being Sent To People Who Didn’t Order
The Better Business Bureau and others are warning of free boxloads of merchandise from Amazon or other companies leave right on your doorstep!
What could possibly be bad about getting lots of free stuff all year long?
Plenty! This warning is for consumers that there is a downside to this recent scam. You are not the one who hit the jackpot. A scam company is the real winner.
Have you encountered box loads of merchandise from Amazon on your porch that you didn’t order? Better not to touch them: A scam popping up in the U.S. could mean trouble for victims.
This scam also called “brushing” involves unknown senders shipping boxes of various, unordered merchandise from Amazon and other retailers. The boxes usually have no return address and the receiver typically has no idea who ordered the items.
Brushing has been popping up all over the country. Suddenly, boxes of unordered (by the recipient) merchandise from Amazon begin arriving. There is no return address, or sometimes it just appears to come from Amazon or another retailer, and the receiver has no idea who ordered the items.
The items are varied and can be anything from an appliance to clothing to almost anything. Often, the items received are lightweight and inexpensive to ship, such as ping pong balls, or more recently, 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. Usually, they find your address through social media – yes many people make it available, or it can be found through the many “people search” websites. 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. Reviews are worth their weight in gold to a reseller, especially a scam reseller!
Why It’s A Real Problem For You
The fact that someone was able to have the items sent to you as if you purchased them indicates that they probably have some of your personal information such as your name, address, and possibly, your phone number. Once the information is out there on the internet, 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 the door before the resident gets it.
What Should You Do?
First, Notify Amazon or 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. Go directly to Amazon’s website to get their contact information. The company also takes security seriously and encourages customers to report fraudulent purchases or other security issues. If the preference is to contact them by phone; be cautious of searching for support phone numbers – contact Amazon, not the seller if it comes from Amazon.
Second, Check Your Accounts
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.
Third, Contact your Local Police
Talk to the Fraud Unit at your local police and let them know you are receiving what might be stolen items.
There Is Another Possibility, And That Is You Are Being Used As A “Parcel Mule” To Receive Stolen Goods
It is very important to inform your local police that this may be the case. Because the scammers may just contact you saying it was an accident and they will pay for the trans-shipping – but this is a crime – receiving stolen property. Most of the time – in these cases – the merchandise has been purchased with stolen credit cards.
However, there is a much darker side to this, and this is why the police involvement is important. Criminals may show up at your how demanding their packages. Those packages could contain anything, from money to drugs. It is best to let your local police take possession of the packages and make the final decision.
TAGS: SCARS, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Scam Victims, Brushing Scams, Parcel Scams, Parcel Mule, Amazon Scams, Package Scams, Unordered Products
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It is essential that law enforcement knows about scams & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.
Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:
- Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
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A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
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The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
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