In another shocking incident of cybercrime, it has been reported that scammers are increasingly using a trick known as 'brushing' to dupe online shoppers and artificially boost product reviews on popular e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and AliExpress.
According to a report fromDailyExpertNewsThis fraudulent practice involves sending unsolicited packages to unsuspecting individuals and aims to increase the visibility and sales of low-quality or counterfeit products.
The process reportedly begins when fraudsters create fake accounts on these e-commerce platforms and place orders for their own goods, using stolen or fake addresses to ship them. These products (often cheap gadgets, costume jewelry, or random items) are then sent to random recipients who have not yet made a purchase. Upon delivery, scammers, using the recipient's name, post favorable reviews to make the products appear highly rated and desirable.
The ultimate goal of the cleaning scam is to manipulate the system by boosting the product's ratings and visibility, creating a false impression of popularity, the report said. Potential buyers are then misled into believing that the product is high quality, when in reality it may be a low quality counterfeit. In some cases, these fraudulent reviews can result in significant sales for the unscrupulous sellers.
Experts have warned that there are several risks associated with brushing scams. First, the arrival of disordered packages may indicate that an individual's personal information has been compromised. Scammers often obtain names and addresses through data breaches or illegal transactions involving stolen data. Victims of cleaning scams may also have their names associated with fake reviews, which can affect their online reputation.
Consumers are advised to remain vigilant and report unsolicited packages or suspicious activity to the relevant authorities. If you receive a package that you did not order, there is a good chance that you are the target of this deceptive scheme.