CONSUMER FIRST WARNING: 'Brushing' involves unexpected deliveries

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – It seems harmless to get free stuff in the mail, but there’s a downside to what consumer experts call “brushing.”

“Suddenly, boxes of unorganized products from Amazon or another retailer show up on your doorstep,” says Lisa Schiller of the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.

It seems harmless to get free stuff in the mail, but the practice is illegal.

Cleaning is receiving new attention as the holidays approach.

A public service announcement from the US Postal Inspection Service states: “It’s called brushing, and it’s popping up all over the country. The companies that ship the items simply use your address and then post a fake, positive review on their website to boost the ratings of their products.

In these scams, sellers use your address to “boost” or embellish reviews to give a false impression of their business. Scammers consider it a profitable payout.

The Wisconsin BBB says these are often out-of-state third-party sellers trying to increase their sales.

“Generally the boxes are filled with extraneous items, like a humidifier or a hand warmer or flashlight — items that are lightweight and cheap to ship,” Schiller says.

There are reports online about the BBB Scam Tracker.

One person wrote: “A mysterious package was delivered to my home by a person I don’t know without me having ordered such a package. When I tried to look up the return address, the search returned ‘brushing scam’ hits.”

The Federal Trade Commission says you can keep that free stuff legally, but know there is a downside.

“It indicates that someone has your personal information in the first place, such as your name, address and possibly your phone number, and once that information is online it can be used for other nefarious scams.”

If this happens to you, do not pay for the goods. Don’t be scammed if the seller follows up with a phone call.

Also inform the retailer. Again, the practice is illegal and fake reviews are against the policies of Amazon, as well as most other online retailers.

And to protect your identity, change your password on the retailer’s website and check your accounts.