Unsolicited Seeds from China

[dado potato]

People in at least 7 states have received mailed pouches of unidentified seeds. The packages are marked "China Post" and feature Chinese characters.

State departments of agriculture have warned residents not to open the seed packets... and "do not plant the seeds".

The NY Times suggested it may be a "brushing scam". One can also imagine a form of biological warfare, introducing invasive species (...not that there is any evidence of such an attack by China...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/us/seeds-from-china-mail.html

[Tybee]

That is so strange and creepy. I would never have thought of bioterrorism (I collect seeds, so glad they did not come to me!)

[razz]

That is creepy.

[KayLR]

I had heard about this, but could not access the article linked. What is a "brushing scam?"

[dado potato]

I had heard about this, but could not access the article linked. What is a "brushing scam?"

The NYT article quotes a police department Facebook page: A brushing scam is an exploit by a vendor used to bolster product ratings and increase visibility online by shipping an inexpensive product to an unwitting receiver, and then submitting positive reviews on the receiver's behalf under the guise of a verified owner.

[razz]

I posted the same response as Dado one minute later so have deleted it