Receiving Items You Didn't Order? Possible "Brushing Scam" | Selling

18704d · 2026-05-16T17:58:33.866000Z

If you receive such items in the mail you may be a target for a new scamming technique. According to Google, there's something called a "Brushing Scam". Here's advice from the FTC (as per google search for "brushing scam"): * Do not interact with the package: Never scan any QR codes that may be included in the box, as they often lead to phishing sites designed to steal personal data. * Check your accounts: Log into the marketplace the package came from (e.g., Amazon) to ensure no fraudulent accounts or archived orders were made in your name using a compromised account. * Report the seller: Notify the customer service of the retailer the package originated from (like Amazon or eBay) so they can investigate and ban the fraudulent seller. * Change your passwords: Because someone obtained your address and possibly your name, update your shopping and email passwords as a precaution. * Monitor your credit: Monitor your credit reports for any signs of identity theft. You can check for free at AnnualCreditReport.com And a new type of Brushing Scam is "Return Address Fraud" or "Review Shifting." According to Google, you may possibly have a fraudulent third-party seller listing your home address as their official warehouse return address on marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. The recommendations?: * Contact the Marketplace's Fraud Division: Do not contact the buyers listed on the invoices. Instead, immediately contact the platform's customer service (e.g., Amazon Unsolicited Packages or eBay Support). Tell them explicitly: "A third-party seller is using my residential address as their unauthorized return hub." * Provide tracking and seller details: Give the marketplace the tracking numbers from the shipping labels and any seller names listed on the internal invoices. They need this data to pinpoint and ban the fraudulent merchant account. * Refuse future deliveries: If you catch the mail carrier or delivery driver delivering these packages, tell them to mark them as "Refused / Return to Sender."Either way, if returns to your home is frequent, it may be needed to contact the marketplace to get your address blacklisted from their merchant return registry.

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Receiving Items You Didn't Order? Possible "Brushing Scam" | Selling | eBay Community