Online scam 'brushing'

[imastawka]

How online scam 'brushing' works and why COVID-19 is to blame for its resurgence

Have you recently received a mysterious parcel in the mail that you didn't order and that wasn't a gift?

Maybe it was hair ties, toothbrushes, cleaning products, or even seeds.

Chances are you may have been caught up in an online e-commerce scam called "brushing".

While getting free stuff sounds great, it comes at the cost of your privacy and personal data.

What is brushing?

Brushing is when people receive cheap, unsolicited packages in the mail from an online marketplace, such as Amazon.

But the actual seller – the individual or company that sent you the item – is usually a third party that uses those websites to sell its products.

The seller effectively makes a fake shopper account using your name and address, buys the product from itself, and then sends it to you.

Americans have recently reported getting sent bluetooth speakers, hair ties, car cleaning products, torches, empty jewellery bags and smart phone repair kits, to name a few.

More recently, it's been tiny seeds.

.......So the stuff I get sent is free? Cool!

Not quite. It comes at a cost.

Your personal data, stolen from a data breach, has been used in the process — including your name and address.

Personal data is valuable to scammers.

They can can use it to access your bank accounts or set up a new ones, take out loans and steal superannuation, or create fake accounts on social media to attack others.

Getting free stuff in the mail is comparatively harmless, although it does indicate your personal information could be in the hands of digital criminals.

......Organic items like seeds present a biosecurity risk, and anyone who receives them unsolicited in the mail is asked to report it to the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment on 1800 798 636.

If you think a scammer has your account details, passport, tax file number, licence, Medicare number or other personal identification details, the ACCC says to contact your bank, financial institution, or other relevant agencies.

This is just an edited overview.  For more info, read here -

https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/markets/how-online-scam-brushing-works-and-why-covid-19-is-to-blame-...

A couple of people reported, on the other boards,getting parcels that they didn't order, from Singapore.  Someone stated they received seeds.

[davidc4430]

they are kinda saying if i buy seeds from overseas they most likely wont be detected by the govts expensive system?

kinda bad publicity to be putting about really

but more seriously, has our border protections stopped working?

[lyndal1838]

Why pick on seeds?

Not all seeds are prohibited imports.....especially those from overseas commercial sellers who know the rules and label and package the seeds according to our rules.

There is nothing for the system to detect.

[davidc4430]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Why pick on seeds?

Not all seeds are prohibited imports.....especially those from overseas commercial sellers who know the rules and label and package the seeds according to our rules.

There is nothing for the system to detect.

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i think your wrong

you cant just go online and order seeds from overseas and bring them into the country legally

no plant based imports are allowed without correct paperwork being lodged

and the list of prohibited items is very long

it would be easy to import seeds of all sorts of nasty plants otherwise

[springyzone]

I may be denser than usual this morning, but what is the point of this brushing?

I understand the danger of any scammers getting hold of your personal details, I have heard of identity theft etc

But once the scammers actually have those details, why would they send the people toothbrushes or whatever?

Is it to see if the things are returned to sender as if they are not, it indicates a real address etc. But surely there are easier & cheaper ways to check if addresses are real. Electoral rolls etc

[shoppingbag*]

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@springyzone wrote:

I may be denser than usual this morning, but what is the point of this brushing?

I understand the danger of any scammers getting hold of your personal details, I have heard of identity theft etc

But once the scammers actually have those details, why would they send the people toothbrushes or whatever?

Is it to see if the things are returned to sender as if they are not, it indicates a real address etc. But surely there are easier & cheaper ways to check if addresses are real. Electoral rolls etc

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Maybe it would be an idea to send them back as "not known at this address, return to sender"

[imastawka]

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@springyzone wrote:

I may be denser than usual this morning, but what is the point of this brushing?

I understand the danger of any scammers getting hold of your personal details, I have heard of identity theft etc

But once the scammers actually have those details, why would they send the people toothbrushes or whatever?

Is it to see if the things are returned to sender as if they are not, it indicates a real address etc. But surely there are easier & cheaper ways to check if addresses are real. Electoral rolls etc

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The link indicates that they can then give themselves a review, making them look good to unsuspecting buyers.

The review is verified by the purchase, making it look legitimate, and so boosting sales.

[imastawka]

Tippy uses a posting account, like most of us do.

No such thing as a fake account.

DEon't bring your particular type of venom to Community Spirit,

It is not welcome here.

[domino-710]

Well named though . lol

[imastawka]

Won't give up on the Buying board.

Drivel is just pouring out about Tippy.

*sorry about the typo in my previous post