There’s A New Scam Being Delivered To Southwest Florida
Almost weekly it seems we hear of new ways scammers are hitting our area and now there’s a new scam being delivered to Southwest Florida.
If you’re like me, you have a steady stream of packages delivered to your door. So much so that there may be a package in the mix that you forgot that you ordered. I’m pretty sure the delivery guy has his truck on autopilot to my house in Fort Myers. Ok, maybe it’s not that bad, but I do order pretty regularly. It’s just too convenient and Prime Day, hello! It’s hard to let a good deal pass you by. We all know that the influx of online shopping has created the porch pirate who comes in plundering packages left unattended on porches or outside front doors.
Now there’s a new scam in Southwest Florida we have to worry about.
According to NBC2, residents of Charlotte County have fallen victim to a devious new scheme known as brushing. In a brushing scam, homeowners receive packages they never ordered, seemingly sent in their name. But here’s the twist – these packages are not gifts or random acts of kindness. Instead, they are tools in the hands of scammers who are up to no good.
By sending you these unsolicited items, they create fake reviews in your name, giving the illusion of a bustling and successful business. It’s a sneaky scheme to trick potential customers into thinking the product is legit and garnering trust.
This is a different kind of scam because the goal isn’t to steal your money.
Yes, your information like your name and address have been stolen, which could potentially lead to other issues, this one is more to scam other people. Because of the fake review written under your name, the scam could be passed onto others who buy something that’s not as good as it seems.
What do I do if this happens to me?
If you didn’t order the merchandise that was delivered to you, there’s a few things you should do. First, check your accounts to make sure that you didn’t pay for it. If you want to get rid of it, while most times these packages won’t come with a return address, if there IS one, you can make it “RETURN TO SENDER” and USPS will return it at no cost. You can also choose to keep it or throw it away. Then, keep a close eye on your credit monitoring and personal accounts to make sure nothing seems fishy.
New Study Shows Punta Gorda Airport As The Worst Airport in Florida
8. Southwest Florida International
Our very own RSW scores 62.28. Also growing. The expanded terminal is expected to be operational in 2025.
(Sheila Book)
Scam Southwest Florida
