GREECE, N.Y. — A Greece woman received a mysterious package she never ordered, and News10NBC Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean tracked the delivery from California to a warehouse in Henrietta.
The delivery
Amy Cordaro’s doorbell camera captured the delivery last week. When she opened the package after work, she found half a dozen hard plastic multi-colored pebbles inside.
The package was so light that the deliveryman picked up a landscaping rock and placed it on top of the package to keep it from blowing away.
“That’s all that was in that package?” Berkeley asked.
“Correct,” Cordaro said.
Who sent it?
The sender’s name on the packaging was listed as Vincent Vincent. The address traced back to a warehouse outside Anaheim, California. The delivery company listed was Go-Fo, which Berkeley found at the end of a dead-end street in Henrietta.
“The delivery of this package has made you feel what?” Berkeley asked.
“Freaked out. Definitely freaked out. Not quite sure what was in the package,” Cordaro said.
How the scam works
The Postal Service said it never touched the package. However, its inspectors believe it’s a brushing scam and made a warning video about it.
“Brushing happens when a package appears right on your doorstep. You didn’t request it. You didn’t order it,” said Andrea Avery, U.S. Postal Inspector. “The company sending the items are simply using your address. They then post a fake positive review on their website to boost their seller ratings which translates into more sales for them.”
The warning states that whoever is behind the scheme has “your personal information” and the fake review “prompts people to purchase worthless stuff.”
READ MORE: United State Postal Inspection Service explains Brushing Scams
“Whatever this is, how did it end up on your doorstep?” Berkeley asked.
“Correct. I mean as long as I’ve been living I’ve never had this experience in my life. So it’s totally new to me,” Cordaro said.
Berkeley contacted Go-Fo but hasn’t received a response. Postal inspectors said that if a package is paid for, unless it’s leaking or ticking, there is nothing that stops a delivery.
Recipients can keep unsolicited packages. They don’t have to return them or pay for them.
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