Missouri Police Warn of Dangerous Strange Packages at Your Door

A Missouri police department shared an urgent warning about a new scam they've been made aware of that begins with an unexpected package arriving on your doorstep. Many are unaware of the danger that awaits inside.

I saw this shared yesterday by the Jefferson City, Missouri Police Department on their Facebook page. I have heard of this scam they're talking about which refers to a technique called brushing.

In case you can't read their warning on your device, here are the exact words of warning by the Jefferson City, Missouri Police Department. I've bolded the vital part of their warning:

"Beware of the Brushing Scam! A recent scam has been showing up in many states. We have not had any local reports, but we want to make residents aware before they are victimized. A "brushing" scam is when someone receives an unexpected gift or item not ordered in the mail from a place like Amazon or another company. Examples of gifts include rings, bracelets, necklaces, Bluetooth speakers, etc. The gift will have the recipient’s address, but not include the sender's information or be from a known retailer. When the recipient opens the package to see what it is and possibly who sent it, there is a QR code to scan to find out who sent the gift. Once the code is scanned, all the information from that phone will be sent to scammers. They receive all access to the phone. All personal and financial information is accessible to the scammers, and the victim's bank accounts are often drained. The gift can be kept or thrown away, but the QR code should NOT be scanned for any reason. QR code scams are nothing new. These scams show up in all places, including parking meters. Inform your family members about the scam and avoid scanning any unknown QR codes included in the package."

A general rule to follow is NEVER scan a QR code from an unknown source. Many are claiming that QR codes cannot be used to steal information, but they're wrong. The Federal Trade Commission confirms QR codes is a method to steal your data. Even if the package claims it's coming directly from Amazon, legitimate sites can be spoofed using this technology.

The brushing scam that Jefferson City, Missouri police are warning about is real. Being aware of this danger before an unknown package arrives might save the money in your bank account and even your identity.