Brushing Scam

In a brushing scam, an unscrupulous seller — often operating through a large third-party marketplace — obtains your name and address from a data breach, purchased database, or previous legitimate purchase. They ship cheap, lightweight items (seeds, USB dongles, face masks) to your address at minimal cost, using your details to generate a verified-purchase order. They then post glowing five-star reviews as if you wrote them.

The immediate harm to the recipient seems minor — you receive free goods — but the underlying issues are serious: your personal data has been compromised and is in criminal hands; the fake reviews distort market trust and disadvantage honest sellers; and the scheme is used to launder money or manipulate platform algorithms.

If you receive unexpected packages, report them to the marketplace and consider monitoring your accounts for signs of identity fraud, as your data is likely in a criminal database. Some jurisdictions allow recipients to keep unsolicited packages legally, but this does not mean the scheme is harmless.