Unordered Packages and Brushing Scams: What To Do

Finding a package on your doorstep that you never ordered can feel like a pleasant surprise. In reality, it may be a warning sign that someone is misusing your personal information in a scam known as brushing or another type of package fraud.

This guide explains how these schemes work, why scammers send goods you never asked for, and the practical steps you can take to protect your identity, money, and online shopping accounts.

Why You Might Receive a Package You Didn’t Order

Most unexpected packages fall into one of a few categories. Knowing the difference helps you decide what to do next.

• Brushing scams: Fraudsters send low-cost items to real addresses so they can post fake “verified purchaser” reviews under your name, inflating their ratings and sales on online marketplaces.
• Account misuse: Someone may have used your stored payment information or logged into your marketplace account to place an order without your knowledge.
• Delivery fraud & phishing: A package, or just a notification about a package, may be used as bait to get you to scan a QR code, click a link, or call a phone number that harvests your data or installs malware.
• Legitimate gifts: A friend, family member, or business may have sent a gift or sample and simply forgotten to tell you.

If you cannot connect the shipment to a real person you know or an order you placed, treat it as suspicious and assume it may be part of a scam.

How Brushing Scams Work Behind the Scenes

Brushing scams exploit online marketplaces that reward high sales volume and positive reviews. Here is a simplified look at how they typically operate.

The United States Postal Inspection Service notes that brushing scams are designed specifically to inflate product ratings and visibility, not to give you free merchandise.

First Steps When a Surprise Package Arrives

If you receive a package you did not order and cannot immediately link it to a known sender, follow a calm, step-by-step process.

1. Inspect the Shipping Label Carefully

• Check the name and full address to confirm it is really meant for you and not a neighbor.
• Look for the retailer or marketplace name (for example, a major online platform, store, or third-party seller).
• Note any tracking number, order number, or seller ID printed on the label.

Keep the packaging and label until you decide what to do next; they may be useful when reporting the incident.

2. Review Your Recent Orders and Payment Activity

• Log in directly (not through links in texts or emails) to any major marketplaces you use and review recent orders and delivery history.
• Check your credit card and bank statements for unfamiliar charges, including small test transactions.
• If you find a charge that matches the item, treat it as possible fraudulent use of your payment information and contact your financial institution immediately.

If there is no record of an order and no charge, the package is likely related to a brushing scam or promotion, not a billing fraud.

3. Do Not Scan QR Codes or Use Phone Numbers on the Package

Some scams combine unsolicited packages with QR codes, links, or phone numbers that direct you to malicious sites or high-fee phone lines.

• Avoid scanning QR codes printed on labels, stickers, or inserts, especially if they claim to offer “warranty activation,” “bonus rewards,” or “delivery confirmation.”
• Do not call phone numbers printed on suspicious door tags or cards left with the package.
• If you need information, go to the company’s official website or app and use the verified contact details listed there.

Your Rights: Can You Keep Unordered Merchandise?

Under U.S. law, consumers generally are not required to pay for goods that were mailed to them that they did not order. In practice, this means:

• You typically do not have to send the item back to the seller unless you choose to.
• You may keep, donate, or discard low-value items, particularly when the sender is unknown or unreachable.
• If there is clear evidence that someone used your account or card without permission, your priority is to dispute the charge, not to return the merchandise.

However, you should still treat unordered goods as a signal to check for identity theft and account compromise, especially when packages arrive repeatedly or begin to increase in value.

Locking Down Your Online Shopping Accounts

Because brushing scams rely on your personal data, any surprise package is a reminder to harden your digital security.

Change Passwords and Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication

• Update passwords for online shopping, payment, and email accounts, especially the ones linked to the package’s sender.
• Create long, unique passphrases that combine words, numbers, and symbols, and avoid reusing passwords across sites.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever it is offered, using an authenticator app or text codes.

Strong, unique credentials greatly reduce the risk that scammers can reuse your information or take over your accounts.

Review Saved Payment Methods and Addresses

• Delete unused or outdated cards stored in retailer accounts.
• Remove old shipping addresses you no longer use, including workplaces or former residences.
• Check that contact information (email and phone) is correct and has not been altered without your knowledge.

Monitor Your Credit and Identity

Ongoing monitoring helps catch problems early if your data has been misused in more serious fraud beyond brushing.

• Obtain free credit reports regularly from the nationwide credit reporting companies via the official portal endorsed by U.S. regulators.
• Look for new accounts, collection items, or inquiries you do not recognize.
• If you see signs of identity theft, consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus and follow official identity theft recovery guidance.

How to Report Unordered Package Scams

Reporting scams helps enforcement agencies and marketplaces spot abusive sellers, block fake reviews, and warn other consumers.

Report to Government and Law Enforcement

• Submit a detailed report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through its official fraud reporting portal, including photos of labels and any tracking numbers.
• If the package involved the U.S. Postal Service, you may also report brushing or mail-related fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which investigates crimes involving the mail.
• For significant financial loss or identity theft, you can also file a report with local law enforcement.

Report Through the Marketplace or Retailer

Large platforms and retailers typically have channels to report unsolicited packages, fake reviews, or suspicious sellers.

• Log in to your account using the official website or app (not via a link in a message).
• Locate the help or security center and use options labeled such as unwanted package, fake review, or report seller activity.
• Include order numbers, photos of the shipping label, and a short explanation that you did not place the order.

Marketplaces may remove fake reviews, investigate the seller, or ban them from the platform.

Safe Ways to Handle and Dispose of Unwanted Packages

Once you have checked for fraudulent charges and reported the incident, you decide what to do with the physical item.

• Keep or donate low-risk items: Non-perishable, sealed goods can often be kept for personal use or donated to charity if you are comfortable doing so.
• Return to sender for regular mail: For some mail items with a clear return address, writing “Return to Sender” and leaving them for pickup can send them back without charge, particularly via USPS.
• Discard items that seem tampered with: If packaging appears opened, damaged, or altered, consider carefully disposing of the item rather than using it.
• Securely destroy labels: Shred or black out labels and barcodes before recycling boxes to reduce further exposure of your data.

Related Delivery Scams to Watch Out For

Unordered packages are only one piece of a larger landscape of delivery-related fraud. Staying alert to these patterns can help you avoid future losses.

• Fake delivery texts and emails: Messages that claim a package is delayed or undeliverable and urge you to click a link or pay a fee; these often lead to phishing sites or malware.
• Door tags with fake numbers: Notes claiming a missed delivery, directing you to call a phone number that may charge high fees or attempt to collect personal information.
• Impersonation of delivery companies: Scammers may pose as major carriers and send fraudulent notifications, invoices, or account alerts.
• QR-code bait: Random QR codes on packages promising tracking help, warranty registration, or special offers that instead redirect to malicious websites.

Legitimate carriers emphasize that they will not ask for passwords or full payment card details via unsolicited messages, and they encourage customers to verify any issue directly on official websites.

Proactive Habits to Reduce Your Risk

You cannot fully control how companies handle your data, but you can build habits that limit opportunities for scammers.

• Track your own orders: Use official retailer accounts or carrier apps to monitor shipments so you can quickly distinguish legitimate deliveries from fakes.
• Limit public sharing of your address: Avoid posting shipping labels, packages, or full home addresses on social media.
• Opt out of unnecessary data sharing: When possible, restrict how retailers share your information with third parties.
• Use secure payment methods: Pay with credit cards or payment services that offer fraud protections, and avoid wiring money or using instant cash transfers for online purchases.
• Stay informed: Periodically review alerts from consumer protection agencies and major carriers about new delivery scams and tactics.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is it illegal to keep a package I didn’t order?

In the United States, consumers generally do not have to pay for unordered goods sent through the mail, and you are usually allowed to keep, donate, or discard low-value items. However, you should still treat the situation as a potential warning sign of a scam and check for any unauthorized charges or identity theft.

Q: Should I contact the sender listed on the shipping label?

In many brushing scams, the name on the label may be incomplete, misleading, or simply the name of a fulfillment company. Instead of using phone numbers or email addresses on the package, contact the retailer or marketplace through their official website or app and report the unwanted shipment.

Q: What if I start receiving multiple surprise packages?

Repeated unsolicited deliveries are a stronger signal that your information is being abused. In that case, you should: tighten security on all shopping and email accounts, check your financial statements and credit reports for suspicious activity, report the pattern to the retailer or marketplace, and submit a complaint to federal authorities such as the FTC.

Q: Can brushing scams lead to identity theft?

Brushing scams themselves are often about fake reviews and inflated sales, but they rely on personal data that might have been exposed in a breach or purchased from data brokers. That same information can be misused in broader identity theft, so monitoring your credit and following official recovery steps if you spot problems is important.

Q: How can I safely verify a real delivery issue?

If you receive a message about a delivery problem, do not click links or call numbers in the message. Instead, open your browser, go directly to the carrier’s official website, sign into your account, and check tracking there. Major carriers also provide guidance pages that explain how to spot and report fraudulent messages using their brand.

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Author

medha deb

 

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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