Talking about the seed brushing scam on ABC RN Breakfast

Unsolicited packet of seeds believed to be part of a “brushing” scam. (Photo: Ohio Department of Agriculture)
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In recent weeks Australians have started receiving unsolicited packages from China containing seeds, as have random people in other countries. It’s part of a scam called “brushing” and it’s not quite what it seems.

“Brushing is a deceitful technique sometimes used in e-commerce to boost a seller’s ratings by creating fake orders,” says Wikipedia. According to USA Today, seeds are relatively new, but the scam has been around for ages.

This morning I spoke about how brushing works and the potential risks to recipients on ABC RN Breakfast.

The original audio is ©2020 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.