SINGAPORE: For Mr Terrence Chong and his wife, coming home after a long day at work was no longer a simple pleasure. Instead of relaxing, they were met with a growing pile of mysterious parcels on their doorstep.
Throughout two and a half months, the couple received daily deliveries of empty or wrongly labelled packages—none of which they had ordered.
According to CNA, Mr Chong, a 46-year-old educator, suspected the parcels were mistakenly sent to their new address. They had only moved in a few weeks earlier, so they checked with the previous owners.
However, they confirmed that no similar deliveries had been made during their time in the flat, and there were no unusual shipments during the renovation period either.
The situation soon worsened. The frequency of parcels increased, with some days seeing as many as eight packages delivered.
Despite being labelled with items like ceiling fans, wallets, or projectors, most parcels were too small and flat to contain such items.
Uncovering a scam – “brushing”
After receiving over 100 packages, Mr Chong reached out to Shopee, one of the platforms responsible for many of the deliveries.
In mid-November, the e-commerce company contacted him, confirming that the parcels were linked to fraudulent transactions. The investigation revealed that sellers had used his address to ship low-value or empty items, likely to create fake reviews on their products.
This form of online scam, known as “brushing,” involves sending unsolicited items to consumers and using their names and addresses to post fake reviews.
Associate Professor Huong Ha from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) explained that brushing is a tactic used by sellers to artificially inflate the popularity and ratings of their products.
By flooding platforms with fake positive reviews, sellers can boost visibility, often gaming the algorithms that prioritize well-reviewed products.
Growing concern for e-commerce platforms
Shopee responded by banning the accounts of the sellers and buyers involved, halting the delivery of any further parcels to Mr Chong.
The company assured the couple that their personal information was secure, but the experience left them uneasy. Mr Chong admitted that, while no financial harm had been done, the psychological toll of receiving unwanted deliveries daily was significant.
Authorities, including the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS), have yet to receive complaints specifically about brushing.
However, the CCCS encouraged consumers to be cautious when evaluating online reviews, as they may not always reflect genuine customer experiences.
E-commerce giants like Lazada and Amazon have also pledged to combat fraudulent activities. Lazada, for instance, enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy for such behaviour and takes swift action against offending sellers.
Amazon, on the other hand, has dedicated teams focused on preventing fake reviews and pursuing legal action against those who manipulate their systems.
Call for consumer vigilance
For Mr Chong, the matter has largely been resolved—at least for now. He no longer receives unwanted parcels, but he remains vigilant.
As he explained, “I’m not looking for compensation… I just want to stop receiving these parcels.” His experience highlights the need for consumers to stay alert when shopping online and report any suspicious activity to the relevant platforms.
Shopee, alongside other major platforms, continues to advise users to report unsolicited parcels and ensure their accounts are secure.
Despite the resolution, the growing prevalence of scams like brushing underscores the need for continued vigilance in the e-commerce space.
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
