Whenever you order something online, it’s always exciting when it finally arrives at your doorstep. But what happens when an unfamiliar package shows up — one you don’t recall ever ordering?
Your first thought might be that it’s a simple mix-up. Or if you’re a positive thinker, you might assume that a loved one, perhaps a family member or friend, has decided to surprise you with a gift.
The reality might be more sinister, however. You could be the latest victim of a “brushing scam.” If you’re scratching your head thinking, “A brushing what-now?”— no worries, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s the lowdown on what a brushing scam is, how it works, how it can affect you, and what to do if you find yourself a victim.
What is a Brushing Scam?
A brushing scam is an online scheme that involves creating fake sales and reviews for a product.
It’s typically carried out by online sellers on third-party e-commerce platforms like eBay or Amazon, who want to increase their online sales using false reviews they’ve written themselves.
To be able to post these reviews, the scammers need to ‘trick’ the system into believing that a genuine transaction has occurred. So what they’ll do is obtain a consumer’s name and address, use it to create a fake account, and then ship them products they never ordered.
Shipping a package generates a tracking number, and upon delivery, it enables the rogue seller to post a ‘verified’ review using the unsuspecting recipient’s information.
The seller can carry out this ruse dozens or even hundreds of times, inflating their product ratings, sales numbers, and online reputation. The scammer’s hope is that this will lead to a rise in actual sales in the long term.
How Brushing Scams Work
A brushing scam typically involves several steps.
- Setting up a fake account: Using your name and postal address (which is publicly available information in most cases), scammers create a fake account on the e-commerce platform where they have a seller’s account and then use it to place an order for one of their products.
- Shipment and delivery: To make the transaction seem genuine, the scammer goes ahead and ships the item to your address. Usually, they’ll opt for inexpensive and lightweight items — e.g., cheap jewelry, hair bands, sunglasses, and so on — to minimize costs. In some cases, they might dispatch high-value items, particularly if they’re also using illicit means to pay for these products, like stolen credit card information.
- Fake reviews: Upon delivery, the scammer, impersonating you, leaves a glowing review for the product. Since this feedback comes under a ‘real transaction’ and a ‘real name’, it’s marked as a ‘verified purchase review‘, which lends it more weight and credibility.
- Rinse and repeat: As mentioned earlier, the scammer can repeat this process multiple times. The huge number of positive reviews boost the product’s rank as well as the seller’s standing. They gain more visibility and are able to attract more genuine shoppers. Over time, this can lead to an increase in the number of real sales and profits for the seller.

How a Brushing Scam Can Affect You
At first glance, brushing scams might appear quite harmless, even seemingly advantageous. After all, who doesn’t love a free item?
However, being a target of a brushing scam can make it look like you’re complicit. Should a particular seller’s scheme be investigated, your name might come up, leading to unnecessary legal complications.
Remember also that brushing scams don’t just affect you. The fake reviews created through these scams can mislead genuine consumers into buying substandard goods, believing them to be of high quality. Over time, this can erode trust in online review systems, which many consumers rely on to make informed purchasing decisions.
What to Do If You’ve Been a Victim
If you’ve received a package that you didn’t order, Amazon recommends that you first confirm that it’s not a gift ordered and sent to you by a loved one, like a friend or family member.
Usually, if it’s part of a scam, the package will not have a return address. Once you confirm that the package wasn’t ordered by you or someone you know, here are the next steps to take.
- Notify the e-commerce platform: Report the suspicious delivery to the e-commerce platform from which the package was sent. Platforms typically have protocols in place to investigate such matters after you file a report. They can remove the sham review, deactivate the fake account, and implement measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
- Change your passwords: Change and strengthen your account passwords and enable extra security features like two-factor authentication where possible.
- Check your financial accounts: Log in to your financial accounts, including bank and credit accounts, and check for any suspicious transactions or activity. If you spot anything unusual, get in touch with your bank or credit card provider immediately and ask for them to put a freeze on your funds and transactions.
- Report the incident to authorities: It might also be a good idea to report the incident to authorities as well as consumer protection agencies. While they might not act on a single report, it helps provide data on fraud patterns and trends and can assist them in prosecuting fraudsters more effectively in the future.
- Sign up for an Identity theft protection service: As we mentioned above, receiving a package as part of a brushing scam is a sign that your personal information has more than likely been compromised. Signing up for a service like Spokeo Protect can help protect you from becoming a victim of identity theft by monitoring where your information may be bought or sold on the dark web and alerting you if any unusual activity is detected.

Can You Keep the Package?
In a word, yes. According to the FTC, you don’t need to return any unsolicited items that land on your doorstep. Legally, you’re entitled to keep them as a free gift.
That said, there are some cases where sellers can make genuine mistakes. If you receive an unordered package that bears a return address and the seller’s contact details, consider reaching out regarding a potential return.
You shouldn’t have to pay for the return, however. Ask the seller if they are willing to cover the return costs. If they say no, you’re well within your rights to keep the item or discard it.
Final Thoughts: Be Vigilant
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Try Spokeo today.
Sean LaPointe is an expert freelance writer with experience in finance and tech. He has written for several well-known brands and publications, including The Motley Fool, Angi/HomeAdvisor, and CapLinked.