Tipp of the Week-Brushing Scams
Hello, Tipp City! Marc the Cop here,
This week, while doing my morning “Socials,” I came across a video talking about “Brushing Scams.” Needless to say, the video got my full attention. With all the new ways to defraud the public, I am always looking to shine a light on the latest scam.
A brushing scam is a type of e-commerce fraud where sellers—usually from online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, or Walmart—send unsolicited, low-value packages to people. The goal is to create fake verified purchases so they can post positive reviews and artificially boost their product ratings.
How It Works: A scammer gets your name and address (usually from publicly available or leaked data). They send you a cheap, random item (like a phone stand, earbuds, or a beauty tool) you didn’t order. They then create a fake customer account in your name. Using that account, they leave a positive product review, making it seem like a real satisfied customer wrote it.
Why It’s Done: To manipulate product rankings and boost visibility on marketplaces. To build trust with fake five-star reviews and drive up sales.
You’re not being charged—the item is free—but it may mean your info was compromised. It doesn’t necessarily mean a financial breach, but it can indicate someone has your name and address. If it keeps happening, you could become a target for other types of scams or fraud.
What You Should Do: Don’t feel obligated to keep the item—but you’re not required to return it.
Check your online marketplace accounts (e.g., Amazon) to see if any unknown purchases or reviews are listed under your name. Change passwords if you suspect your account is involved.
Report the incident to the retailer (like Amazon’s customer service). To the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the Better Business Bureau, if you receive recurring items.
A brushing scam is mainly about fake reviews, not stealing from you—but it’s still worth monitoring your data and accounts if it happens.
While brushing scams don’t harvest your data themselves, the fact that you’re receiving items you never ordered means someone already has your information, and that’s a red flag. In some cases, your name and address are being used to create fake customer accounts, which could escalate into identity theft if other personal info is added.
What to watch for? Repeated packages from unknown sellers, Fake reviews on your account (check Amazon or other marketplaces), Unusual account activity on sites where you shop
A brushing scam isn’t designed to collect your data—but it’s a symptom that your data might already be out there. It’s a good time to tighten your privacy and monitor for other suspicious activity.
Remember the 9 PM routine! The 9 PM routine is a nightly reminder for residents to remove valuables from their vehicles, lock their vehicle doors, secure their residences, turn on exterior lights, and activate all alarms and security systems.
That is all for this week! Please be safe and care for one another.
I'll see you in church on Sunday!
Sgt. Marc Basye (Ret.)
Do you have a suggestion for the Tip of the Week? Your input is valuable to us. You can email me at Marcthecop@tippgazette.com!
The opinions and statements in this column are those of the author, who is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency. This column is for entertainment purposes only. Persons referred to may be fictional for comedic purposes only.
