The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to beware of brushing scams, which can lead to identity theft, compromised accounts and increased spam.
Brushing involves sending merchandise to people who did not order it. Third-party sellers send these packages, typically containing low-value items such as household goods or gadgets, to raise their product ratings and visibility.
The sellers use recipients’ addresses to make it appear as if they are verified purchasers so they can then pose as the recipients to leave fake, positive reviews of the products.
These fraudulent deliveries appear to be harmless, but they may indicate that cybercriminals have access to the recipient’s name, address and phone number. Once this personal information is online, it can be used for various crooked enterprises.
Here’s what you can do if you or someone you know receives an unsolicited package:
• File a report with the Postal Inspection Service;
• Change the password for your email and any accounts containing financial data;
• Do not engage with the sender of the package or you may inadvertently verify your address, which could lead to more unwanted packages; and
• Do not scan any QR codes on the packages because this can install malware on your device.
The CyberSafe at USPS Blue and LiteBlue pages have more information.
