In the age of online shopping, where popularity of online shopping is on the rise, a novel trend is appearing  that has raised eyebrows and concerns among consumers, merchants and professionals in the world of e-commerce. It is termed as the “brushing scam”. In this type of scam, unsolicited packages are dispatched to a number of consignees. While it may seem like a harmless gesture, there’s a more sinister intention behind these mysterious parcels.  

Brushing Scam Revealed – How it Works?

A brushing scam generally proceeds in the following manner:

1. Uninvited Parcels: You receive a package containing a low-cost item that you never ordered. This parcel may contain any item from a cheap gadget to a piece of jewelry.  
2. Fake Reviews: The sender then uses your identity/address for creating a fictitious online reviews, usually overly positive and the purpose of this review is to boost their product’s sales and reputation. The sender is often a third-party seller on online marketplaces.
3. Overstated Ratings: After generation of these fake reviews, the seller artificially show their product’s ratings and sales numbers as higher, making it appear more popular and trustworthy.  

Why The Sellers involve in Brushing Scams?

The primary motivation behind brushing scams is to manipulate online marketplaces’ algorithms. These algorithms prioritize products with high ratings and sales, and by artificially inflating these metrics, scammers can gain a competitive edge. This type of tactics lead to increased visibility to their products, more sales, and ultimately, higher profits.  

The Risks Associated with Brushing Scams

At a glance, the brushing scam may be perceived harmless with meager risk involvement. But ground reality unveils the several potential risks:

• Identity stolen: Fictitious accounts creation with the use of your address can compromise your personal information and expose you to identity theft risks.  
• Trust shaking: Fake reviews can shake the consumers’ trust in online marketplaces. Inflated ratings and so called positive reviews may mislead the genuine buyers and generate purchase decisions based on false information.  
• Unfair Competition: Unscrupulous sellers can take an unfair advantage over legitimate businesses with the help of brushing scam. The legitimate business that rely on honest reviews and genuine customer satisfaction may be pushed down in the list.  
• Contra to Regulatory Compliance: In some jurisdictions, brushing scams may be contrary to the injunctions of the consumer protection laws and regulations.  

How You May Protect Yourself From Brushing Scams

Following tips need to be considered in order to defend yourself from becoming a prey to brushing scams:

1. Discourage Unsolicited Parcels: In case a package is received that you didn’t order, simply reject it. You should even avoid opening such package, as it may cause receipt of unwanted items or even harmful substances. Some scams are in progress in which unsolicited packages are delivered just to further obtain your identity even your finger prints which later have been reportedly used in issuance of fresh mobile SIMS in your name for subsequent mala-fide use totally without your knowledge.
2. Incident Reporting: Such incidents should timely be reported by contacting the online marketplace where you suspect the seller is operating. All the critical information should be shared with the marketplace, such as tracking numbers, sender’s address, and a description of the item.
3. Pay Special Attention to Reviews: Overly positive reviews should cautiously be paid attention when making decision of online purchases. Generic or insincere reviews are particularly bearing risk. Consider the reviews with detailed feedback and realistic tone of personal experiences.
4. Keep Eye On Your Accounts: Keep monitoring your online accounts for any suspicious activity, including but not limited to email and social media. You need to be wary of messages which are unsolicited or requesting your personal information.
5. Prefer Using a Privacy-Focused Shipping Address: If you are really concerned about misuse of your address and want to avoid vulnerabilities related to for fraudulent activities, you should provide a privacy-focused shipping address or a package-forwarding service.

By understanding the tactics in use by the scammers and taking proactive approaches, you can save yourself by minimizing the risk of being victimized to brushing scams and contribute to a more trustworthy and healthy online shopping environment.