The Latest Scam to Be on the Lookout For: ‘Brushing’
It's one of the first pieces of advice we hear growing up and it's just as true today as it's ever been.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
That's an important thing to remember if an unsolicited package ever shows up on your doorstep.
There's a tendency to want to keep it since you it won't cost you anything, but the appearance of that delivery may not be an 'honest mistake'.
It might be a scam.
It's called 'brushing' and according to Yahoo! News it involves third-party sellers setting up fake accounts and sending packages to unsuspecting households.
But it's not the box you receive that's the reason for concern, it's why you're getting that might be signs of a much bigger problem.
While the scammers use the fake accounts to write fake 'verified' reviews in a bid to improve their seller ratings, the boxes are sent out to households who have seen their data compromised.
Bottom line: 'brushing' isn't a cybercrime, but rather marketing fraud.
So what should you do if you fall victim to this scam?
First, report the package to the company that it shipped from.
Next, check your online accounts for any signs that your data might have been compromised.