USPS Issues Urgent Warning: Brushing Scam Hits Illinois With Fake Deliveries

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is warning Illinois residents about a growing "brushing scam" involving unsolicited packages containing items like diamond rings.

Delivery Season in Illinois

Right now holiday shopping is in high gear in Illinois, and that also means a LOT of packages are being delivered to homes all across the state.

I don't know about you, but I took full advantage of online Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, and just yesterday I received three packages that I had forgotten I even bought. (Ridiculous, I know).

Have you received any deliveries lately that you for sure know you never purchased and weren't delivered to the wrong address? Newsflash! You might have just opened a brushing scam!

How the Brushing Scam Works

The United States Postal Inspector is warning residents about a huge uptick in brushing scams being delivered to Illinois mailboxes. Here's how it works:

Scammers send small, unsolicited packages, often containing inexpensive items, (but also "expensive" items like fake diamond rings), to legit addresses to help falsely boost their online seller ratings. Since the scammers have your name and address, they then write fake glowing reviews of products they sell online to mislead buyers.

This definitely sounds shady, but is it dangerous for you, the fake package receiver?

Unfortunately, yes.

While receiving a surprise package might seem harmless, it also means that scammers have your personal information, and that is where the real problem lies.

What To Do If You Receive an Unsolicited Package

If you receive an unsolicited package, here's what you should do according to the United States Postal Inspector:

• If it's unopened and has a return address on it, write "RETURN TO SENDER" on the box and place it back in your mailbox.
• DO NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING. If the package contains some sort of payment slip, ignore it completely.
• Keep it or throw it away. FYI, there is no law against keeping unsolicited merchandise. If you like it, keep it and enjoy your surprise gift.
• CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS. Somehow, someway scammers got a hold of your personal info, so changing passwords is always the first thing you should do.
• Keep a close eye on your credit reports and card statements just in case scammers take the game even further.

Here's hoping you enjoy a safe, happy, and scam-free holiday season!