What Is A Brushing Scam And Why Does It Spike In December
Spot unordered holiday packages, protect your accounts, and report brushing without scanning risky codes.
A brushing scam happens when a seller mails goods you did not order, then posts a fake verified-buyer review in your name. It spikes in December because holiday rankings and review volume shape buying, so fake reviews can pull more peak-season sales. Expectation helps it blend in.
Shoppers track many parcels in December and click updates fast. A small unordered box can look like one more gift or late order.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
Why does December hide brushing?
Shoppers expect many parcels from early October through January and habitually click tracking updates. According to Stacker and PeopleFinders, that habit lets fake shipping messages blend in during the holidays, as described in this Stacker analysis of holiday delivery scams. December also rewards sellers who chase rank.
More reviews and recent sales can lift placement when buyers compare listings quickly. Cheap items sent to real addresses can then feed new "verified" reviews at the moment they count most.
What arrives and what happens next?
Common items are small and cheap. The Federal Trade Commission pointed in January 2025 to fake luxury rings, beauty products, and Bluetooth speakers. Other cases involve jewelry, trinkets, or seeds.
The goal is the review, not payment. According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the sender later poses as the recipient to post inflated ratings and sales, explained in this Postal Inspection Service page on brushing scams.
The agency says the practice is illegal in the United States and often involves sellers who found the address online.
Does a mystery box mean identity theft?
An unordered package alone does not prove wider identity theft. It can mean someone has your name and address, so check bank, email, and shopping accounts for orders or password changes you did not make. Watch for a note with a QR code.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, an August 2026 pattern urges scanning to learn who sent the package or return it, detailed in this FTC warning about QR codes in unexpected packages. Scanning can open phishing sites or malware that steal logins and payment data.
What should you do with the package?
Do not scan enclosed codes or pay. According to Amazon Customer Service guidance, recipients may keep unordered merchandise without paying and should report it, as stated in this Amazon guidance on unsolicited packages.
- Keep the item, packing slip, and box for the sender and tracking details.
- Do not scan QR codes or open links from the note.
- Check payment, email, and marketplace accounts for unknown orders.
- Report to USPIS at uspis.gov/report, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the marketplace where the seller may list goods.