This article is from Trend Micro.
Have you ever received something you didn’t remember ordering from Amazon? Or, have you seen people on the internet talking about receiving mysterious packages? Be careful. Brushing scams are on the rise again!
Brushing scams, or review scams, are what scammers use to get lots of fake positive comments on their product listings by sending people ghost packages without their consent. Brushing scams happen on online marketplaces like Amazon and Best Buy.
First, they gain access to your leaked personal information (like your address, for example) from data breaches or after a phishing scam. That’s how they know where to send the packages (normally the items inside are exceptionally cheap).
By pulling off these scams, they can create a flood of 5-star reviews with glowing comments for their products, making them seem much more attractive to potential buyers. In short, they make use of these ghost purchase records to boost their online store’s reputation.
Scammers can only send you packages after they’ve got your home address, but it is also possible that they’ve managed to get their hands on other data like your Social Security number, credit card information, or other banking details.
They can use the data to commit identity theft and other cybercrimes – to open a bank account in your name, to clone your credit card, or even to take over and empty your bank account!
Without data leaks, brushing scams wouldn’t be possible. They’re how scammers obtain people’s personal information. To save yourself from having your personal data accessible to scammers on the internet and the dark web, try Trend Micro™ ID Security! It includes: