If you’re a Texan who’s ever opened your front door to find a mystery package you didn’t order, you’re not alone. From El Paso to Houston, brushing scams are quietly making their way to porches across the Lone Star State. These surprise deliveries might seem harmless- free stuff, right? -but they’re actually part of a shady scheme that uses your name and address to post fake online reviews. Here’s how the scam works, why Texans are being targeted, and what you should do if one of these boxes shows up at your door.
What Is a Brushing Scam?
A brushing scam is a deceptive tactic used by online sellers to boost their product rankings and reviews. It works like this: a seller creates a fake order using real names and addresses—often found through leaked or publicly available information—and ships out a cheap or random item. Once the delivery is confirmed, the scammer posts a glowing fake review under the recipient’s name to make the product look more popular and trustworthy.
The packages can range from things like earbuds, phone cases, socks, or even seeds- anything lightweight and inexpensive to ship. The catch? You never ordered it, and you’re not the actual customer. You’re just a name and address used to game the system…