Unsolicited Seeds In MA May Be Part Of Online Scam

WORCESTER, MA — Hundreds of people across Massachusetts have received packets of seeds in the mail that they didn't order — and the seeds may be part of a scam to drum up online sales, agricultural officials believe.

The "unsolicited seed mailings" have appeared in mailboxes across the U.S. in recent days, prompting warnings from agriculture officials about their origin.

"While the exact types of seeds in the packages are unknown, the seeds are thought to be invasive plant species, and not believed to be harmful to humans or pets but could pose a significant risk to agriculture or the environment," the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources said in a statement Tuesday.

MDAR is asking anyone who gets an unsolicited mailing to report it, and to keep the seeds and packaging.

Markings on the seed packages appear to be from China, but officials have not confirmed their exact origin. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that the seeds may be part of a "brushing" scam, where shady companies send merchandise to random addresses. That way, they can use the address to write a glowing review online.

"At this time, we don’t have any evidence indicating this is something other than a 'brushing scam' where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales," the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement Tuesday.