Do not ignore this warning.
With a flood of holiday gifts arriving at people’s doorsteps this season, unsuspecting shoppers may even find packages addressed to them that they never ordered.
With a scam called “brushing”, cybercriminals will send packages with no return address that contain a QR code, prompting the confused recipient to scan the code to reveal who sent the package.
Unbeknownst to the recipient, the code could expose sensitive information from their smartphone or download malicious software onto the device.
“A scammer’s QR code may take you to a fake site that looks real but is not genuine. And if you log in to a fake site, scammers can steal any information you enter,” a blog post The Federal Trade Commission was told.
“Or the QR code could install malware that steals your information before you even understand it.”
Now, law enforcement agencies across the country Are warning to local residents To remain vigilant this holiday season.
Nancy Kowalik of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, said she received a “really nice gift set for skin care” but couldn’t figure out from whom.
“There was a QR code,” she said a local ABC news outletSaying he had seen warnings of brushing scams. “And I’m crazy so I don’t scan anything. But I kept asking friends and no one claimed to have sent me that gift.
According to USA Today, brushing scams are also sometimes used to boost seller reviews on sites like Amazon.
Sellers are trying to boost their reviews, said Jennifer Leach, associate director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer and Business Education. USA Today,
Jennifer Leach, associate director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer and Business Education, told the outlet, “Dishonest businesses and scammers are sending all kinds of disorganized junk in the mail — and then writing nice reviews for their business in your name. ” This may negatively impact businesses that do not “cheat to get reviews.”
He also warned that shopkeepers’ personal information or Accounts have been compromised Somehow, or that the scammer has created a new account using your name and address.
Melanie McGovern, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau, advised checking and securing accounts like Amazon or other frequently used shopping sites, she said. a local Fox News outlet In New Jersey.
He also told USA TODAY that recipients should notify the shopping site or company that a fraudulent order has been received.
An Amazon spokesperson told the outlet that third-party sellers are strictly prohibited from sending unsolicited parcels to customers, and explained that the online retailer takes swift action against sellers who violate the policy, such as “stopping payments, Suspending sales privileges and reporting bad “actors to law enforcement.”
“People shouldn’t be so anxious about it,” McGovern said. “Do not scan the QR code and begin entering information if you are not sure where that package came from.”
