Author: CedarStone Bank News

There’s something thrilling about opening the mailbox or front door to find an unexpected package. While free gifts might seem exciting, receiving an unanticipated delivery could come with hidden risks.

Scammers are now sending counterfeit “luxury” items, such as rings, beauty products, and even Bluetooth speakers. This deceptive tactic is known as a “brushing scam,” named for the way it helps the scammer “brush up” their sales. Here’s how it works: scammers or sellers of counterfeit goods gather personal details, like your address, online. They then send you items you never ordered and use your information to post fake reviews about their products under your name, boosting their sales in the process.

You might wonder, “Who cares if a fake review is posted in my name?” The issue is, if you’ve received a package you didn’t order, it’s likely that someone has your personal information. Dealing with the fallout from identity theft could lead to significant time and financial loss.

If you’ve received an unexpected package, here’s what you should do:

1. Change your passwords on all your online shopping accounts to protect them in case they’ve been compromised.
2. If the package came from a marketplace like Amazon, report it to the platform so they can investigate and possibly remove the seller.
3. Monitor your credit weekly by checking your report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com to look for any signs of identity theft.
4. Avoid contacting the sender. If you search for their contact details and reach out, there’s a chance you’ll be targeted for further attempts to steal sensitive information.

If you’ve received a package you didn’t order, keep the items and report the scam, along with any fake reviews, to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Be cautious when sharing your personal information, especially in a “smishing” scam, where fraudsters send deceptive messages to trick people into revealing sensitive details. This allows them to steal credit card numbers and other personal data.

Even those who are tech-savvy can fall victim to scams, such as fake text messages pretending to be from the Postal Service. These messages may claim that a package can’t be delivered due to an incorrect address, prompting you to take action.

Here’s how it usually unfolds: You’re busy when you get a message. Knowing you have deliveries on the way, you quickly fill out your address and payment details on a website that looks completely legitimate. Only moments later, you realize you might have made a costly mistake.

The USPS offers tips through its website on sniffing out “smishing,” but it all boils down to the basics of don’t click a link you don’t recognize and can’t verify and always be cautious about providing personal information when someone reaches out to you. Hackers send out hundreds of thousands of text messages a day hoping a small percentage of recipients will fall for their scam.