While getting a free package seems like a nice surprise, this might be a setup for a scam called brushing. Brushing is when you receive a package you didn’t order, often without a return address.
Better Business Bureau says companies may send a package after finding your address online. This lets them write a fake review in your name to improve ratings and generate sales.
Sydney Waters, the regional director of the BBB, said this might be a sign that your personal information was stolen. "Go to the post office, and consider temporarily refusing package delivery to your home address. If you refuse package delivery, the scammers will stop sending you items if they can't be delivered."
Waters says the good part about this scam is that the Federal Trade Commission allows the legal right to keep the unordered merchandise.
She says returning it could compromise your personal information. Packages may include QR codes claiming to lead to return instructions, but they often lead to a phishing website or download malware to a device.
Immediately change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication if you scan the code.
Retailers often have policies cracking down on brushing and fake reviews. Always report false reviews in your name. If you receive a package, always notify the website if you can identify it.
You can always submit a report to BBB Scam Tracker, and go to BBB.org to verify organizations.
