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Dec 13, 2023

Thieves sending empty packages to trick victims in brushing scams

There have been several instances where people received a notification of a

There have been several instances where people received a notification of a delivery that couldn't be completed. Under normal circumstances, it could be legitimate, but these messages turned out to be fake.

Those delivery scams are designed to rip you off by claiming you need to hand over information to complete a delivery. But there's a clever new technique that crooks are using you need to know about. In this one, you receive a package, but its content will leave you wondering what's happening.

Read on for details on this crafty scam and how to avoid falling victim.

Imagine that your doorbell rings and a package is left on the porch. You’ve done some online shopping, so it's not unreasonable to assume it's an order that you placed. However, the sender's address is from a remote town in Nebraska and the only thing inside is a small piece of cardboard. Or it's empty.

Strangely, this has happened to so many people that there are hundreds of #emptypackage posts on Twitter from perplexed users.

Learn the tech tips and tricks only the pros know.

What's going on here? According to the FTC, it's part of a rampant "brushing" scam, and criminals might have stolen your Amazon, Walmart or eBay credentials. It's similar to when mysterious seeds from China were mailed across the U.S.

Once crooks have your information, such as your name, address or account credentials, they send a junk package to your house. Sometimes, they create an online profile using your name and address.

But why would they do this? It's an elaborate scheme to make their online storefronts look legitimate. By sending packages to numerous addresses, it shows they have a successful business with lots of customers. This can lead to their questionable online store or profile artificially boosted by Amazon or Walmart.

The scheme can take several twists and turns. The most frightening twist is if the scammer has your account credentials. If you get an empty package in the mail, it's a good idea to change your password on the site it came from.

The first thing to know is that if you receive a package you didn't order, it's still yours to keep. And no, you don't have to pay for it. Brushing scams have been happening quite often recently. So much so that the United States Postal Service (USPS) created a PSA video about it.

The USPS also gave a few tips to protect yourself from brushing scams. Here are some suggestions.

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