What is a Brushing Scam? How to Spot and Stop It

What is a Brushing Scam? How to Spot and Stop It

Packages showing up at your door can feel like a surprise gift. But when you didn’t order them, that “gift” could be part of a brushing scam. These scams use your name and address without your consent to ship low-value items, helping shady online sellers post fake reviews that look real.

Brushing scams are not as well-known as phishing or identity theft, but they’re growing quickly. They affect consumers, businesses, and marketplaces. If your details are being used in one, it’s a warning sign that your personal information may already be compromised.

This blog breaks down how brushing scams work, what signs to watch for, why they matter, and what you should do if it happens to you.

Brushing Scam Meaning

A brushing scam happens when a seller sends packages you never ordered. These packages often contain cheap or random products like socks, keychains, or phone cases. The main goal is not to give you free stuff. The goal is to create fake sales and fake reviews.

Online marketplaces usually reward sellers who have high sales numbers and positive reviews. Scammers send goods to random addresses, mark the items as “sold,” and then post fake glowing reviews under your name. It makes their store look popular and trustworthy, even though it’s built on lies.

How Common Brushing Scam Is? Real Case & Numbers

• Amazon blocked 275 million suspected fake reviews in 2024, highlighting the scale of review fraud, which brushing helps fuel.
• The U.S. FTC’s new fake-review rule took effect in October 2024, giving regulators authority to fine sellers who create or buy fake reviews.
• Real-life case: An Australian woman, Justine Mintern, received a fancy-looking ring in a velvet bag that she had not ordered. She later discovered it was part of a brushing scheme: the sender hoped she’d verify a purchase or leave a review under her name.

How Do Brushing Scams Work?

Understanding the process helps you recognize the red flags.

Step 1: Data Collection
Scammers collect names, addresses, and phone numbers. Be careful in oversharing information online and offline. People search can be used to do this as well.

Step 2: Fake Orders

The scammer uses these addresses to place fake orders in their own store.

Step 3: Shipment of Cheap Goods

To make the order look real, they ship inexpensive items that cost them very little.

Step 4: Fake Review Submission

Once the system confirms the order was “delivered,” they leave positive reviews under your name.

Step 5: Marketplace Boost

The store now appears more popular, so more unsuspecting customers buy from them.

Signs You May Be a Victim

Here are the common red flags that show brushing scams may be happening to you:

• Packages You Didn’t Order

The biggest sign is obvious: boxes arriving at your address with no connection to any orders you placed. Often the sender name is vague, generic, or foreign.

• Unfamiliar Account Activity

Check your accounts on Amazon, eBay, or other platforms. Fake profiles may be created using your details. In some cases, you might notice order confirmations or emails that don’t match your activity.

• Strange Reviews Linked to Your Name

Sometimes reviews show up under your name or alias on products you never bought. If you stumble on this, it’s a strong indicator that your identity is being used in brushing.

• Growing Frequency

One random item might feel like a shipping mistake. But repeated deliveries of low-cost goods are rarely accidents. Scammers send multiple packages to make sure their fake reviews look consistent and credible.

Why You Should Care About Brushing Scams

Here are the main reasons brushing scams are more serious than they look. And when you see how widespread they’ve become, it’s clear this isn’t just a one-off annoyance

Your Personal Data is Compromised

Even if no money was stolen, brushing means your personal information is already in circulation. If scammers can use your address for fake shipments, there’s a chance your data could be used in other fraud schemes.

Fake Reviews Hurt Real Shoppers

These scams flood online marketplaces with misleading reviews. Honest buyers end up trusting products that don’t deserve high ratings. That means poor-quality or even unsafe items get purchased more often, harming real consumers.

Potential Fraud Connections

Your name and address may be linked to fake accounts or fraudulent transactions. While you may not be legally responsible, this kind of activity connected to your details isn’t something you want hanging over you.

Wider Impact on Trust

Every fake review makes online shopping less reliable. Both buyers and legitimate sellers lose trust in the system. Honest businesses have to compete against sellers who cheat the system, and customers are left unsure of what’s genuine.

What To Do if It Happens to You

Here are the steps you should take if you start receiving unsolicited packages.

1. Report the Package

Don’t just throw it away. Report it to the platform it came from. Amazon, Walmart, and eBay all have systems for reporting brushing scams. Reporting helps flag the seller and may protect other shoppers.

2. Check Your Accounts

Review your order history on shopping platforms. Look for accounts you didn’t create. Update passwords and close suspicious profiles if you find any.

3. Secure Your Information

Change passwords for your main accounts, especially email and online shopping. Turn on two-factor authentication. You can also use tools like “Have I Been Pwned” to check if your email or personal info has appeared in data breaches.

4. Don’t Pay or Return

According to the FTC, you are not obligated to return items you didn’t order. They’re legally yours to keep. Don’t contact the sender and don’t share any additional information with them.

5. Monitor for Further Issues

Keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements. Watch for unauthorized accounts or mail that doesn’t make sense. If the activity escalates, consider placing a fraud alert or using an identity theft protection service.

While victims don’t face legal liability, reporting helps regulators track and penalize bad actors.

Conclusion: Stay Alert, Protect Your Information

Brushing scams may seem minor — a few cheap packages here and there — but they highlight a larger problem: your personal data is being misused. And while you don’t have to pay for these goods, the fact that your identity is linked to fake accounts or reviews should raise concern.

Staying informed is your best defense. Know the signs, secure your accounts, and report suspicious activity to retailers or authorities. The more people understand how brushing works, the harder it becomes for scammers to keep abusing the system.

Online shopping can be safe, but only if we recognize the tricks scammers use to game the platforms we trust.