A package shows up with your name on it, and you never ordered it. Free stuff sounds nice, but it’s a sign something else is going on. Here’s what brushing is and what to do.
A package lands on your doorstep with your name and address on it. Inside: a phone case, a cheap flashlight, a pack of seeds, maybe a weird crocheted doll. You didn’t order any of it.
Free stuff! Right? Not exactly.
The package isn’t the scam, it’s the receipt. It proves someone has your name and address and is using them to post fake reviews that look like they came from a real buyer.
Online stores rank products higher when they have lots of “verified purchase” reviews. So some sellers invent customers. They find a real name and address, “sell” a product to that person, ship something cheap so there’s a real delivery on record, and then post a glowing five-star review under that fake order.
You’re just the delivery address that makes the review look legit. That’s called brushing.
The item itself is usually harmless. What it tells you is the part to pay attention to: your personal information is out there, probably from a data breach or a purchased list. And a few versions are riskier:
A single mystery package is mostly a nuisance. But treat it like a smoke detector chirping: nothing’s on fire, but it’s a good moment to check that your passwords are unique and your accounts are locked down.
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