BERWICK — The Berwick Police Department is alerting residents to a new scam known as “brushing,” where individuals receive unsolicited gifts in the mail, often from familiar online retailers, only to find themselves victims of identity theft and fraud.
According to authorities, unsuspecting recipients report receiving unexpected items such as jewelry or electronics with their correct address but no sender information.
Accompanying these items is a QR code, ostensibly to identify the sender.
However, scanning the code grants scammers complete access to the victim’s phone, including personal and financial data, leading to drained bank accounts.
The police advise that while keeping or discarding the unsolicited gift is safe, scanning the included QR code is risky and should be avoided.
QR code-related scams are not new and have been found in various forms, including on parking meters.
Residents are urged to inform family and friends about the risks of scanning unknown QR codes and to remain vigilant about unsolicited packages.
As of now, the Berwick Police Department has not received reports of brushing scams occurring locally, but they remain on alert due to the widespread nature of this fraudulent activity.
