Brushing Scams Statistics: 35-40% of Reviews Would be Fake by 2025!

Imagine receiving a package you didn’t order—a random item showing up on your doorstep from an unknown sender. While it may seem harmless, these unsolicited packages are often part of a growing issue known as brushing scams, a deceptive practice used by fraudulent sellers to manipulate product reviews and rankings on e-commerce platforms.

Over recent years, brushing scams have sharply increased and 1.1 million households may have been targeted by brushing scams, driven by the rise in online shopping and ease of identity theft. This surge not only misleads consumers but also erodes trust in online reviews, impacting both honest businesses and shoppers alike.

What is Brushing Scams?

Brushing scams are fraudulent schemes where sellers (usually on e-commerce platforms) send unsolicited packages to people who haven’t ordered anything. This tactic is used to boost product ratings and create fake reviews to improve their store’s reputation and visibility online.

Brushing scams are widespread on Amazon, eBay, and similar platforms due to the impact of reviews on consumer choices. Sellers use fake orders to boost product popularity, and while platforms have implemented detection measures, brushing scams remain common, particularly among international sellers.

These scams compromise review reliability and harm consumers and honest sellers, emphasizing the need for stronger prevention across e-commerce.

How do Brushing Scams Work?

Here’s how brushing scams typically works:

Fake Orders: A seller creates a fake buyer profile, then purchases items from their own store, listing real addresses but not their own name.
Delivery of Unsolicited Items: The items, usually inexpensive or low-quality, are shipped to random individuals who receive packages they never ordered.
Fake Reviews: Once the package is marked as delivered, the seller can write glowing reviews under the fake buyer profile, giving their product a boost in ratings.

Receiving these packages might seem harmless, but it’s a sign your address is being misused. While brushing scams aren’t directly harmful, they’re often a red flag that your personal information could be exposed.

Are Brushing Scams Dangerous?

While it might seem harmless, after all, get some free items—the reality is that your personal information may be at risk. Scammers often gather personal details through questionable means and can misuse them for various scams or other illegal activities down the line.

Plus, the fake review they post under your name might lead others to buy low-quality products.

In some cases, bad actors even use a person’s address and account information to have items delivered, intending to steal them from the property before the resident can retrieve them.

Brushing Scams Key Predictions from VPNRanks

Fake reviews are largely fueled by brushing scams and the trend is rising.

📈By 2025, fake reviews could make up 35-40% of all reviews across e-commerce platforms.
📝On Tripadvisor, fake reviews may reach 11.5%.
🛒On Amazon, they could climb to 45%.

Surge in identity theft thus fuels brushing scams,

By 2025, consumer complaints related to identity theft may rise to between 1.6 and 1.7 million.

Disclaimer: These figures are estimates provided by VPNRanks, based on historical data and current trends analyzed through predictive models. They represent potential future scenarios and should not be considered exact predictions. The actual outcomes may vary depending on various factors, including new interventions and changes in online behavior.

Editor’s Choice: Brushing Scams Survey Statistics

A national survey of 1,839 people found that 4% reported receiving an unsolicited Amazon package at their home, not ordered by anyone in the household. (source: Which?)
The survey suggests that 1.1 million households may have been targeted by brushing scams. (source: Which?)

Fake Reviews and Brushing Scams: Analyzing the Statistics

Fake reviews and brushing scams are closely intertwined, as brushing scams are a common tactic used to generate fake reviews.

Fake Review Scams

Objective: To create fake positive reviews and ratings to boost the credibility and visibility of a seller’s products.

How Brushing Helps: Fraudulent sellers place orders using fake or stolen identities and ship low-value items to random addresses. Once a package is marked as delivered,” they can post positive reviews under verified purchase status, misleading potential customers.

VPNRanks Predictions for Fake Review🔮

In a previous report, VPNRanks predicted an increase in fake reviews based on historical trends:

📈 By 2025, the proportion of fake reviews across e-commerce platforms could rise to 35-40%.
💸 Consumer losses due to fake reviews are projected to reach approximately $200 billion by 2025.
📝 On Tripadvisor, the percentage of fake reviews may increase to 11.5% by 2025.
🛒 Amazon’s fake reviews could account for as much as 45% of total reviews by 2025.
🔍 Trustpilot’s advanced detection systems are expected to identify 90-92% of fake reviews by 2025, helping curb the impact on consumer trust.

With VPNRanks projecting a significant increase in fake reviews—up to 40% by 2025—fraudulent sellers will be incentivized to employ brushing scams more frequently to manipulate ratings and maintain competitive visibility.

Identity Theft and Brushing Scams: Rising Risks and Key Statistics

Brushing scams sometimes involve fraudsters using stolen identities to place fake orders on e-commerce platforms. By using real names and addresses from compromised identity information, scammers can avoid detection and make the orders appear legitimate.

This allows them to create verified purchase reviews, which add credibility to the fake feedback.

Historical Data of United States

According to Statista, the number of consumer complaints relating to identity theft filled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are rising except decrease in 2022, when 1,434,676 complaints of identity theft were filed.

Year	Number of Complaints
2016	398,356
2017	370,915
2018	444,339
2019	650,523
2020	1,388,540
2021	1,434,676
2022	1,108,609

VPNRanks Predictions: Rising Complains relating to Identity Theft🔮

According to VPNRanks’ predictions, by 2025, the number of consumer complaints related to identity theft could reach 1,600,000 to 1,700,000.

As identity theft continues to rise, VPNRanks predicts a corresponding increase in brushing scams as well.

With more stolen identities available, scammers can easily exploit this data to carry out brushing scams by placing fake orders under real names and addresses.

This allows them to generate verified purchases, boosting fake reviews and rankings. The surge in identity theft thus fuels brushing scams, amplifying the impact on e-commerce platforms and consumers alike, as more stolen data is used to manipulate product reviews and deceive shoppers.

Key Drivers Behind the Predictions

The link between rising identity theft and an increase in brushing scams is justified by the fundamental mechanics of brushing scams, which often rely on using real names and addresses to avoid detection and give legitimacy to fake purchases.

Stolen identities make fake purchases appear legitimate, enabling verified reviews and boosting product rankings.
More stolen data allows scammers to scale brushing scams and manipulate consumer perception.
Increased brushing scams heighten privacy and security risks for consumers.
Thus, as identity theft grows, brushing scams are expected to rise as well.

How to Stop Brushing Scams?

To stop brushing scams, both consumers and e-commerce platforms can take specific actions:

Strengthen Seller Verification: Platforms like Amazon and eBay should implement stricter verification processes for sellers to reduce the likelihood of fraudulent accounts creating fake orders.
Enhance Review Monitoring: Advanced AI and algorithms can help detect unusual patterns in reviews, such as sudden spikes in positive reviews, to flag and investigate potential brushing scams.
Report Unsolicited Packages: If consumers receive packages they didn’t order, reporting these to the platform or the authorities helps track and reduce brushing activity.
Educate Consumers: Platforms should educate consumers on how to spot signs of brushing scams and encourage them to report suspicious items received.
Improve Data Security: Preventing identity theft through strong data security measures reduces the availability of personal information scammers need to carry out brushing scams.
Enforce Legal Measures: Governments can enforce regulations against fake reviews and impose penalties on sellers who participate in brushing scams, creating a deterrent effect.

By combining platform measures, consumer awareness, and legal enforcement, the incidence of brushing scams can be significantly reduced.

VPNRanks Methodology: Working Behind VPNRanks Predictions

VPNRanks’ predictions are grounded in a detailed methodology designed to capture accurate predictions. Here’s an outline of the rigorous process behind these insights:

🔍 Data Collection: Gathered data from surveys, consumer reports, and e-commerce platforms to analyze trends in online scams.
📊 Statistical Analysis: Examined historical data and recent reports to identify patterns in fake reviews and brushing scams.
🌐 Source Verification: Cross-referenced information from multiple reliable sources, including industry studies and government reports.
📈 Trend Projection: Used statistical models to predict future increases in fake reviews and associated brushing scams.
🛡️ Risk Assessment: Evaluated the impact on consumers, e-commerce platforms, and legitimate sellers.
🔄 Continuous Monitoring: Established ongoing monitoring to update predictions as new data becomes available.

FAQs

How do Brushing Scams work?

Scammers usually place orders through third-party sellers, such as Amazon or eBay, to appear as verified buyers. This enables them to post fake positive reviews to enhance their product’s rating and popularity.

What to do if I receive a package I didn’t order?

If the package is unopened, label it as “Return to Sender,” and the Postal Service will return it at no cost to you. If you’ve opened it and don’t want the item, simply dispose of it. If you like the item, you’re free to keep it.

Do Brushing Scams work on Iphones?

Yes, brushing scams can target iPhones, but they typically involve low-cost items. Scammers use any item, often inexpensive, to generate fake verified reviews, although it’s rare for high-value products like iPhones.

Explore More In-Depth Statistics and Reports by VPNRanks

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Ethical Hacking: Discover key insights and data on the rise of ethical hacking practices.
Mobile Payment Scams: Examine the rise of mobile payment scams and their financial impact across demographics.

Conclusion

Brushing scams continue to pose a serious challenge, affecting consumer trust and inflating product rankings unfairly. As these scams grow alongside identity theft, consumers and e-commerce platforms face greater risks that demand attention.

Awareness and protective measures are key to countering this trend. With collective efforts from platforms, regulatory bodies, and informed consumers, it’s possible to curb the rise of brushing scams and safeguard the online shopping experience.