If you have received a package you did not order — especially from Amazon or an overseas seller — you may be the target of a brushing scam. Brushing is a form of e-commerce fraud where sellers send cheap, lightweight items to real addresses so they can post fake verified purchase reviews using your name. It is surprisingly common: the Better Business Bureau receives thousands of brushing reports annually, and the practice is believed to be far more widespread than formal complaints suggest.
How Brushing Scams Work
The Seller's Motivation
Sellers on Amazon and other marketplaces need verified reviews to rank higher in search results and build credibility. The "verified purchase" badge tells shoppers the reviewer actually bought the product. In a brushing scheme, the seller ships a product to a real address, marks it as delivered, and then writes a glowing review from a fake account that is now linked to a "verified" purchase.
How They Get Your Address
The sender only needs your name and address — both of which may be available through:
- Data breaches (old e-commerce accounts, marketing databases)
- Public records (property records, voter registration)
- Previous online purchases from compromised sellers
- Social media profiles that include location information
What Gets Shipped
The items are almost always cheap and lightweight to minimize shipping costs: seeds, cheap jewelry, phone accessories, small electronic gadgets, or plastic items. The seller does not care whether you keep the item — the purpose was to generate a verified delivery record.
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Is a Brushing Scam Dangerous?
The immediate risk is low — no one is charging your credit card, and the item itself is usually harmless. However, brushing is a warning sign that deserves attention:
- Your personal data has been compromised. Someone has your name and address, and possibly more. If you cannot identify the source, consider whether your information may have been exposed in a data breach.
- Your accounts may be compromised. In some cases, brushing sellers create fake accounts using your real information. Check your Amazon account for purchases you did not make and reviews posted under your name.
- It may escalate. While most brushing is limited to generating reviews, some scammers use the same stolen data for more harmful fraud.
What to Do If You Receive a Package You Did Not Order
- Do not throw it away immediately. Document it first — take photos of the package, shipping label, and contents. Note the sender name, return address, and any tracking numbers.
- Check your accounts. Log into Amazon, eBay, and any other marketplace accounts. Look for orders you did not place, unfamiliar payment methods, or reviews posted in your name.
- Change your passwords on any marketplace accounts and enable two-factor authentication if it is not already active.
- Report to the marketplace. Amazon has a specific process for reporting brushing: go to Customer Service > "Report something suspicious."
- Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Check your credit report for any unauthorized accounts. You can get free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- You may keep the item. Under FTC rules, merchandise sent to you that you did not order is legally yours. You are not obligated to return it or pay for it.
How to Reduce Your Risk
- Use unique passwords for every online shopping account
- Minimize the personal information visible on social media
- Consider a credit freeze if you are concerned about identity theft
- Monitor your accounts regularly for unauthorized activity
- Use IsThisAScam.to to check any suspicious emails or messages that arrive around the same time as unexpected packages — they may be related
QR Code Variant: The Brushing-Plus Scam
A newer variant includes a QR code or card inside the package saying "Scan to register your product for warranty" or "Scan for a free gift." These QR codes lead to phishing pages that request personal information, credit card details, or Amazon login credentials. Never scan QR codes from unexpected packages.
If you receive a suspicious package with a QR code or accompanying message, paste the URL or message content into IsThisAScam.to before interacting with it. The tool will check the destination URL and identify known phishing patterns.