How brushing scams use your data to post fake reviews

If you receive a package you never ordered, often containing a cheap item and no clear sender, you may be the target of a brushing scam. These scams use your real name and address to create fake online purchases, which then allow sellers to post glowing reviews in your name and boost their product’s reputation. The fact that your personal information was used suggests that your details were exposed in a data breach or sold by third parties.

Brushing scams rely on having access to your personal data. Scammers get this information – such as your name and address – from sources like leaked databases, breaches, or illegal sales. With these details, they set up fake buyer accounts using your identity and order their own products to your address. Services like Hide Expert VPN can make it harder to link your online activity to your real identity by routing your connection through secure servers with advanced protocols, but once your info is leaked elsewhere, it can still be used in scams like brushing.

How brushing scams work

• Scammers get your personal details from leaks or illegal sources.
• They create fake accounts on online marketplaces, using your information as the buyer.
• The scammer then orders one of their own products to your real address, at no cost to you and usually with no return address.
• Once the package is delivered, they post a fake “verified purchase” review using your identity, making their product look more trustworthy to future buyers.

This process inflates the product’s ranking and creates an artificial sense of trust. Marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress are popular targets for these scams.

Risks for recipients

Receiving a brushing package does not mean you owe anyone money or that you are legally responsible for the item. However, it is a sign that your personal information is circulating and may be misused in other scams. In some cases, items sent through brushing scams come from regions with weak safety standards, so the contents could be unsafe or even dangerous. Occasionally, these packages include QR codes or flyers that lead to phishing sites designed to steal more of your information or infect your devices with malware.

What you can do if you receive a brushing package

• Do not scan any QR codes or visit links included with the package.
• Check if your personal data has appeared in known breaches or leaks. Services that monitor data breaches can help you find out if your information has been exposed.
• Change your passwords for any accounts that use the same email or personal information, and enable two-factor authentication where possible.
• Consider using privacy tools and secure connections, such as a VPN, to reduce the risk of future data leaks. Hide Expert VPN, for example, supports custom protocols that help maintain your connection’s privacy even on networks that restrict standard VPNs.
• If you’re concerned about personal data on the internet, see our guide on how personal info spreads online.

Key points to remember

Brushing scams do not directly harm your finances, but they show your data has been compromised. Fake reviews based on your name can mislead other buyers and further incentivize sellers to manipulate online marketplaces. Stay cautious when receiving unexpected packages, safeguard your personal data, and avoid interacting with anything suspicious included in these shipments.