01/07/2025

Got a package you didn’t order? It’s probably a scam

FTC

What could be better than opening the mailbox or the front door and finding an unexpected package? Free gifts might seem like fun — but when an unexpected package lands on your doorstep, it may come with a higher cost than you expected.

Scammers are sending people fake “luxury” items like rings, beauty products, and even Bluetooth speakers. This is sometimes called a “brushing scam,” so called because it’s “brushing up” — or increasing — the scammer’s sales. How does it work? Scammers or sellers of knock-off merchandise find your address or other personal information online. They send you goods you never ordered and use your information to write fake online reviews about their products in your name — which helps them boost sales.

“Who cares if they write a fake review in my name?” you might say. Well, if you got a package you didn’t order, it means someone likely has your personal information — and undoing the potential harm from identity theft could cost you time and money.