1 week ago
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Reports of a strange and unsettling scam have been coming in from across the globe, leaving people baffled as they receive unexpected packages on their doorsteps.
Known as "brushing," this bizarre phenomenon has been reported in countries like the UK, the US, and Australia, leaving recipients confused.
In 2021, a study by Which? raised alarm bells, predicting that over a million UK households could have fallen victim to the scam. The parcels contained a weird assortment of items, from frisbees and medical gloves to magnetic eyelashes.
More recently, AU News reported that Aussies are the latest victims, with one person receiving a pink parcel bag filled with random bits of material.
"I wasn’t sure what it was as I wasn’t expecting anything," the woman wrote on a local Facebook group. "Does anyone know if this is something I need to report or what it could potentially be or why this has happened? Freaking out!”
So, what is 'brushing'?
Some of the unexpected parcels may contain a QR code which leads the victim to scan out of curiosity and land on a fake website.
In other instances, the scammer can use the delivery as "proof of delivery" so they can write a fake review for their business, generally on an e-commerce platform.
Earlier this year, Staffordshire Police were notified about a string of brushing scams in the area and urged people to be cautious about where they store their personal information.
"If you receive unsolicited packages through a brushing scam, you must report it immediately. You can call us on 101, or message us using Live Chat on our website. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111," they advised.
"You should also report it to the e-commerce platform, so that they can take the appropriate action against the scammer."
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English (US) ·