By MAX ALDRED FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
Published: 01:53 EDT, 3 April 2025 | Updated: 01:55 EDT, 3 April 2025
An urgent scam warning has been issued after a bizarre nasal product turned up in the letterbox of an unsuspecting Aussie.
The man took to social media on Tuesday to reveal he received two strange plastic objects in the mail, despite not having ordered them.
Nothing had been written on the parcel aside from a 'fake' number.
'Mail was domestic with tracking with (no) return address? What are they? Google lens says anti-snore dilators? What's the scam? Phone number is clearly a fake '0400000000',' he posted to Reddit.
Some joked the anti-snore devices were a 'hint' from the man's wife or neighbours.
However, the ACCC's National Anti-Scam Centre warned 'brushing' scams, as they are known, involve the sending of random packages so a website can generate fraudulent 'verified' reviews.
'"Brushing" is a technique used by unethical online retailers to add legitimacy or overinflate their popularity,' a spokesperson said.
'They create fake customer profiles on their retail store with randomly selected but real delivery addresses.
A man received a set of anti-snore dilators in the mail sparking a brushing warning for consumers (the package is pictured)
'They then use these profiles to purchase low value items from their selling profile on the marketplace.
'This allows them to increase the number of orders listed on their profile – some platforms indicate the volume of transactions the merchant is involved with through different coloured stars next to the merchant's profile.
'[It also allows them to] increase the customer satisfaction rating on their profile, [and] write fake favourable reviews on digital marketplaces that only allow reviews to be placed with proof that an item has been sent.
'This combination can also improve the seller's prominence in search engine results on a marketplace.'
Any kind of website can host brushing, especially those with third-party sellers.
To avoid purchasing from vendors whose reviews have been fudged through brushing scams, shoppers should look for reviews on different sites.
Customers should not solely rely on reviews on the vendor's own website, the National Anti-Scam Centre warned.
Consumers should use secure forms of payment which protect purchases, such as credit cards and PayPal.
Amazon has also detailed how customers can report acts of brushing.
'Amazon investigates reports of 'brushing' and takes the appropriate action against bad actors that violate our policies,' a page on the website states.
'Amazon may suspend or remove selling privileges, withhold payments, and work with law enforcement during investigations.'
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