The New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) wants New Yorkers to be weary of so-called brushing scams.
A brushing scam occurs when consumers receive a package they didn’t order via mail services.
“[A brushing scam] targets a recipient and turns them into a “verified buyer” upon delivery for the purpose of writing fake positive online reviews of merchandise in the recipient’s name,” explains a press release from the DCP. “These fake reviews fraudulently boost or inflate the products’ ratings and sales numbers, which scammers hope results in an increase of actual sales, and they also compromise your personal information with this illicit practice.”
The DCP has provided a list of tips to help consumers avoid becoming the victim of brushing scams. You can find those tips here.
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