Receive A Mystery Package? Could Be A Scam

JAMESTOWN – Have you ever gotten a package you didn’t order? It could be part of a scam.

The Federal Trade Commission and cyber experts have been warning consumers about deliveries known as “brushing” scams.

Here’s how they work, third-party sellers on Amazon, eBay and other online marketplaces pay people to write fake, positive reviews about their products.

To be able to post the reviews, these so-called “brushers” need to trick the site into making it appear that a legitimate transaction took place.

So, they’ll use a fake account to place orders and address them to a random person whose name and address they find online.

Then, instead of actually mailing the item for which they want to post a review, the brushers will send a cheap, often lightweight item that costs less to ship.

The FTC has gone after marketers that use fake reviews. But, it’s not illegal to send customers unordered merchandise.