Brushing Scams
Brushing scams happen when you receive goods you never ordered. The parcel may look harmless, but it can be linked to fake reviews, marketplace manipulation, data misuse, or account abuse.
Key warning
A parcel you did not order may be a sign that your name, address, or account details are being misused.
Do not scan QR codes, call unknown numbers, or follow instructions included with surprise packages.
Unexpected parcel alert
“You received a package you never ordered.”
Brushing scams use real names and addresses to make fake sales look genuine. The parcel creates the appearance of a verified purchase.
Common item
Cheap jewellery, phone accessories, seeds, fabric, small gadgets or random low-value goods.
Hidden purpose
Fake verified reviews, seller ranking manipulation, storefront credibility, or data misuse.
What is a brushing scam?
A brushing scam is a form of fraud linked to online marketplaces, fake reviews, data misuse and account manipulation. A person receives a parcel they never ordered, often containing a cheap or meaningless item.
The sender may be using your name and address to create the appearance of a genuine sale. That fake transaction can then be used to post a verified review, inflate seller rankings, or make a storefront look more trustworthy.
ScamAdvisory rule
If you didn’t request it, you shouldn’t expect it.
Why it matters
Many people first assume a brushing parcel is just a delivery mistake. Sometimes it is. But when the sender is obscure, the item is random and no order was placed, it may suggest your details have been harvested, bought, scraped or misused.
Even if the item is cheap, the parcel shows someone had enough information to make you look like a real customer. In some cases, this may be linked to a compromised marketplace account, email address or mobile number.
Possible data exposure
- • Your name and home address may be circulating online.
- • A seller may be using your details to fake verified purchases.
- • Your marketplace account may need checking.
- • Your email or phone number may be connected to wider scam attempts.
- • Fake reviews may be used to mislead other shoppers.
The parcel is only part of the problem
Brushing scams are often low-value on the surface, but they can reveal wider issues with data exposure, account misuse and fake marketplace trust.
Fake verified reviews
The parcel is used to make a fake purchase appear genuine so a seller can post a verified review.
Seller ranking manipulation
Dishonest sellers may use fake transactions to improve marketplace visibility and credibility.
Random low-value goods
You receive an item that seems too cheap, random or meaningless to justify a genuine delivery.
Odd name or address details
The parcel may use your address with a slightly wrong name, spelling variation or unfamiliar recipient.
Account misuse
A brushing incident can sometimes sit alongside strange marketplace activity or account login attempts.
QR code or contact trap
Some surprise parcels include inserts asking you to scan a QR code, confirm delivery, claim a gift or contact the sender.
Do not dismiss it as harmless
A surprise package may be a mistake, but repeated or suspicious parcels should be treated as a signal to check your accounts and data exposure.
Risk level
Medium
Unexpected package
You receive goods you did not order and nobody in the household recognises them.
Unknown sender
The sender details are vague, obscure, foreign, incomplete or difficult to trace.
Random low-value item
The contents are cheap, pointless, broken, unrelated or too low-value to return.
Name mismatch
The parcel shows your address with another name, spelling mistake or unfamiliar account details.
Account activity
You later see odd emails, login attempts, password resets, orders or marketplace notifications.
QR code inside
The package includes a QR code, reward card, review request, gift claim or contact instruction.
Check your accounts and protect your details.
Check whether anyone in your household ordered the item before assuming fraud.
Check your marketplace accounts, emails and bank statements for unfamiliar activity.
Change passwords on shopping platforms, especially if you reuse passwords elsewhere.
Turn on two-factor authentication where available.
Take photos of the package, label and contents, then report the incident to the marketplace if it can be linked to one.
Do not scan QR codes, call unknown numbers or follow links included inside surprise packages.
ScamAdvisory
A parcel you did not ask for is not always a mistake.
Brushing scams can indicate data exposure, account misuse or fake review manipulation. Pause, check your accounts, avoid package instructions, and report anything suspicious.