Akron Police are warning residents about a dangerous new twist on an old scam that could put your identity and finances at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Known as the \u201cbrushing scam,\u201d this scheme typically involves sending unsolicited packages to generate fake positive reviews online. However, the new version, dubbed \u201cBrushing Scam 2.0,\u201d poses an even greater threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the same scam with a new twist. These scams are always evolving,\u201d said Pamela Anson from the Better Business Bureau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s how it works: You receive a package containing a random item such as jewelry, a Bluetooth speaker, or other small gadgets. The package has your correct address but no information about the sender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inside the package, there\u2019s often a QR code, urging you to scan it to find out more about the sender or to claim another \u201cgift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But beware\u2014scanning the QR code is a trap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once scanned, it can give scammers full access to your phone, exposing your personal and financial information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The aim of this scam is to make fraudulent purchases or steal your identity. In some cases, victims have found their bank accounts completely drained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akron Police advise against scanning any QR codes from unsolicited packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While you can keep or discard the item, avoid interacting with any digital elements included in the package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cReport these scams directly to Amazon or the Better Business Bureau,\u201d Anson recommends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to report them because everyone needs to stay informed, especially since these scams keep reinventing themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, if you didn\u2019t order it, be cautious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spread the word about this scam to protect your friends and family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay alert and safeguard your personal information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Akron Police are warning residents about a dangerous new twist on an old scam that could put your identity and finances at risk. Known as the \u201cbrushing scam,\u201d this scheme typically involves sending unsolicited packages to generate fake positive reviews online. However, the new version, dubbed \u201cBrushing Scam 2.0,\u201d poses an even greater threat. \u201cIt\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[183,15],"tags":[184,109,33],"class_list":["post-4532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brushing-scam","category-scam","tag-brushing-scam","tag-scam","tag-scam-awareness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4532"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4534,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4532\/revisions\/4534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ripandscam.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}