Do not ignore this warning.
As holiday gifts continue to arrive on people's doorsteps this season, unsuspecting shoppers may find themselves receiving packages they never ordered.
In a scam known as “brushing,” cybercriminals ship packages without a return address that include a QR code and ask confused recipients to scan the code to reveal who sent the package.
Without the recipient's knowledge, this code can leak sensitive information from the smartphone or download malicious software onto the device.
“While a scammer's QR code may look real, it can lead you to a fake site that is not. And when you log into a spoofed site, the information you enter can be stolen by the scammer. there is.” blog post stated by the Federal Trade Commission.
“Alternatively, the QR code could install malware and steal your information without your knowledge.”
Now, law enforcement agencies all over the country teeth warn local residents Please be careful this holiday season.
Nancy Kowalik of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, said she received a “really nice gift set for skin care” but had no idea who gave it to her.
“There was a QR code,” she said. local ABC news stationHe added that he had seen warnings about brushing scams. “And I'm paranoid so I don't scan anything. But I kept asking my friends and no one claimed to have sent me a gift.”
According to USA Today, brushing scams are also sometimes used to increase seller reviews on sites like Amazon.
Jennifer Leach, associate director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer and Business Education, said sellers are trying to increase reviews. america today.
“Unscrupulous companies and scammers are sending all kinds of junk items in the mail that weren't ordered and writing good reviews about their business in your name,” says Associate Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer and Business Education. , Jennifer Leitch told the media, adding: This means that companies that “don't cheat to get reviews” can have a negative impact.
She also warned that shoppers' personal information or accounts have been compromised in some way, or that scammers have used your name and address to create a new account.
Better Business Bureau spokeswoman Melanie McGovern said she advised people to check and protect their accounts, including on Amazon and other frequently used shopping sites. local fox news station In New Jersey.
He also told USA Today that recipients must notify the shopping site or company that they received an unauthorized order.
An Amazon spokesperson told the magazine that third-party vendors are strictly prohibited from shipping unsolicited packages to customers, and the online retailer will “withhold payment” from sellers who violate the policy. The company is taking prompt measures, including suspending sales privileges and reporting bad information. Actors to law enforcement. ”
“What people should do is not get too interested in it,” McGovern said. “If you don't know where the package came from, don't scan the QR code and start entering your information.”
