We all love online shopping. It’s convenient, saves time, and often helps you get the best deals and discounts. However, since many people are busy doing their shopping online, scammers are also finding ways to trick them for personal gain. You see, most of us rely on product reviews and ratings to decide whether to buy something from an e-commerce site or not. And scammers are reportedly manipulating reviews and faking popularity to generate fake sales in a new scam called the “brushing scam.”

Brushing scams are a deceptive online practice in which scammers send people counterfeit products and then post reviews online under their names. The term “brushing” originates from Chinese e-commerce practices where sellers inflate their product ratings by creating fake orders and reviews. This scam involves sellers sending unsolicited packages to random users of e-commerce sites. These packages often contain cheap, low quality items such as costume jewelry, small gadgets, or even seeds. Once the package is delivered, scammers write a 5-star review using the recipient’s name on the product page to boost the product’s visibility and fake popularity on platforms like Amazon and AliExpress.

According to the McAfee report, the purpose of this scam is to manipulate sales figures and create an illusion of quality and demand for products on e-commerce sites. For legitimate buyers, this practice is misleading, causing them to purchase based on fake reviews rather than genuine customer feedback. But if users are getting free products, how harmful can it really be? Well, through this scam scammers are exploiting your sensitive data and can even steal your money if you are not careful.

As mentioned, scammers are increasing the popularity of products by sending unsolicited parcels, using the names and addresses of unsuspecting e-commerce users. And they are able to obtain this information through data breaches or illegal purchases of personal data. Receiving such a package may indicate that your personal information has been compromised, posing significant risks such as identity theft and other privacy violations.

Beyond identity theft and misleading reviews, a report from ABC Action News shows that many unsolicited packages now include QR codes that urge recipients to scan them. Scammers use enticing messages like, “Scan this QR code to leave a review and win a $500 gift card.” Scanning these QR codes may lead to malicious websites designed to steal sensitive information or install malware on your device. Stolen personal data can be used for financial fraud or phishing attacks.

How to protect yourself from brushing scams

To protect yourself from brushing scams and avoid receiving fraudulent parcels:

Don’t scan random QR codes: Avoid scanning QR codes included in unsolicited packages, especially from unknown senders.

Keep your e-commerce account secure: Update your login credentials on the e-commerce platform and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security.

Report incident: If you receive any such package, report it to the e-commerce platform and local authorities.