SoS Daily News

What Is A Brushing Scam?

By: Jim Stickley and Tina Davis
September 1, 2025

We haven’t talked about brushing scams much of late. However, there is one happening now that is significant enough that the FBI’s IC3 unit issued a warning about it. It involves mystery packages being delivered to your home with no information about where they came from. And to make it easier for you to fall for the scam, a convenient QR code is inside so you can solve the mystery easily and deliver your money to the scammers too.

A brushing scam is when a package arrives at your door that you have no knowledge of ordering. It’s a way sellers, often on Amazon, boost their ratings for products. They send the mystery package and then use the recipient’s information to write phony reviews. However, in this version, they include a QR code to scan where the personal information, including financial details, is entered to find out where it came from. In some cases, malware might be downloaded as well.

The IC3 included some tips on avoiding this, and other brushing scams:

Be wary of packages arriving at your door without expecting them that contain products that you did not order.

Use a healthy dose of skepticism if you receive packages that omit sender details.

Keep your login and financial details close to you. Don’t give it to anyone that you cannot verify actually needs it.

Do not scan QR codes randomly. Know what you’re scanning.

Final advice if you think you might have been a victim of this or any other brushing scam: Chang your account profiles and request a free credit report from at least one of the national credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and/or TransUnion). Review it carefully and report anything suspicious or unfamiliar to the agency.

While the IC3 does acknowledge this isn’t as common a scam as some of the others out there, it’s still prevalent enough for them to put out the alert.

Scams & Phishing

Amazon “Free Stuff” Brushing Scam Makes Victims Pay The Price

Open your front door and there they are, boxes from Amazon you weren’t expecting. The thought of getting free stuff might give you a giggle, but the truth is, the last laugh could be at your expense. That’s because you’ve just been pulled into a “brushing” scam using you and Amazon to work. Brushing scams are happening more often than ever before, and a closer look at them shows how free stuff could end up costing you. If you find yourself the target of a brushing scam, it means the scammer already has enough of your PII to involve you. READ FULL STORY

Education

Money Mule Scams Are More Common Than You Would Expect

A money mule scam is when someone sends money to you and asks you to send a portion of it to someone else. They often ask you to use gift cards or wire transfers. The money they are providing you is likely stolen. Drug trafficking and human tracking are also common sources of the money, and they're lying about the reason they need you to send it. The relationship, job, prize or other reason they use is not real and they are only using you to launder money. READ FULL STORY

Scams & Phishing

Social Media Free Giveaway Scams Come With Hefty Costs

That $750 you were promised for filling out a survey was never intended to be paid but is in fact a giveaway scam you just fell for. You may think there’s no real harm in filling out a bogus survey, but the real thing about these scams is that it’s stealing your PII (personally identifiable information). The enduring and timeless nature of scam giveaways show that, people don’t change much when it comes to getting something for nothing. READ FULL STORY

Your Security

Online Security Tips From The BBB

Champions of consumers that they are, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) posted a warning reminder on their website about some of the risky online scenario’s consumers face every day. Keeping cyber safety in the forefront of our online activities isn’t always easy, but it’s always possible to do. The BBB knows this and wants consumers to be aware of some of the latest cyber scams and just how truly slippery they can be. It’s well-worth heeding what the BBB has to say about cybercrime and how to avoid the pitfalls that every hacker hopes we fall into. READ FULL STORY

Scams & Phishing

Look Before You Buy! eBay Marketplace Scams; How To Spot And Avoid Them

Cyber-scams are everyday threats, especially in the world of online marketplace shopping. It happens often and to anyone, as we learned from the historic spike in online scams during coronavirus lockdowns and beyond. Now, eBay’s popular e-commerce marketplace is increasingly a target for cyber-scams and scammers. The company has taken an active step protecting their users by publishing scam warnings on their website. It includes spotting the red flags and tips on avoiding their most frequent scams. READ FULL STORY

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