Virginians should be aware of a new holiday phishing scam
WTOP is warning Virginians about the brushing scam, which Ashley Savage with the Arlington police says is being used during the holiday season. The scam begins when you find a package on your porch that appears to be a surprise gift.
“It doesn’t have identifying information on it, so when they open it up, there’s a QR code inside, and the individual is encouraged to scan that QR code to find out who sent the package,” Savage said. “Ultimately, it’s a phishing type scam where they’re going to be redirected to a website that’s designed to steal your information.”
There have been no reports of the brushing scam in Virginia, and hopefully, it will remain that way. However, there have been incidents in Ohio, Colorado, and Maine. Savage requests that anyone who has been targeted by any scam report it to local authorities.
USA Today reveals that scams increase during the holiday season, so authorities are asking Virginians to be suspicious of strange emails, packages, phone calls, or texts and not engage.