Don’t plant those mysterious seeds from China, North Carolina residents are warned
If you receive mysterious seeds from China, don’t plant them, North Carolina officials warn.
That’s because the seeds could introduce “invasive species, insects and plant diseases” to the area, the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services said Monday in a news release.
People in North Carolina reported that they unexpectedly received seeds, and those shipments may be linked to an online scam, the release said.
Through the scheme, called “brushing,” people living in other countries use U.S. consumers’ contact information to create bogus sales, according to the Better Business Bureau.
“Their intention is to make it appear as though you wrote a glowing online review of their merchandise, and that you are a verified buyer of that merchandise,” the BBB said on its website. “They then post a fake, positive review to improve their products’ ratings, which means more sales for them.”
For people receiving items, it could be a sign that their online information isn’t secure, according to the website.
Seeds aren’t the only items used in online “brushing,” North Carolina officials say.
“You could receive other inexpensive items such as rubber bands, plastic toys, or empty bags,” according to their news release.
Recently, mystery seed packages were mailed to people in Washington, Utah and Virginia, McClatchy News previously reported.
So, what do you do if you receive seeds by surprise?
In North Carolina, officials encourage residents who got seeds from China or another foreign country to save their shipping labels and everything sent inside the container. Then, they should reach out to the state’s Plant Industry Division at 800-206-9333 or newpest@ncagr.gov, which will attempt to track down the fraudsters and stop future shipments, Monday’s news release said.
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 12:55 PM with the headline "Don’t plant those mysterious seeds from China, North Carolina residents are warned."
