Brushing, also known as "review brushing," is a deceitful technique used in e-commerce to boost a seller's ratings by creating fake orders that are either shipped to an accomplice or to an unsuspecting member of the public
. The scammer typically orders the merchandise using a third-party seller like Amazon or eBay, and their aim is to pose as a verified buyer of that product so they can post a fake positive review online to boost their product rating and popularity
. In a brushing scam, a person receives packages from a business containing various items they never ordered
. The packages are usually addressed to the recipient's residence but may lack a return address or have a return address of a retailer
. The sender of the items is often an international, third-party seller who has found the recipient's address online
. Although the recipient may not face any immediate harm from a brushing scam, their leaked personal information, such as their name, address, or phone number, could set them up for other types of scams or identity theft in the future
. To protect themselves, individuals should be cautious about sharing personal information online and should report any suspicious packages or transactions to the appropriate authorities
