By Peter Sblendorio. (Photo: Michelle Maltais, USA TODAY), "The fact that someone was able to have the items sent to you as if you purchased them indicates that they probably have some of your personal information such as your name, address, and possibly, your phone number," the BBB said. … Trump supporter, ‘Change out government officials with bullets instead of ballots’, Gov. All summer, people have been receiving unsolicited packages of seeds, mostly from China. If you've received unordered packages from Amazon or other retailers, it could be part of a brushing scam. She recently ordered some tulips bulbs from Amazon back in late April. Heirloom Futures Seed Pack with 55 Varieties of Vegetable Seeds. Officials in at least 15 states across the country have warned residents not to plant unsolicited packages of seeds delivered through the mail from China. Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about. Whitmer finally answers whether she would have accepted a Biden VP offer. Horticulturalists have issued a warning after 'hundreds' of British gardeners received unsolicited deliveries of seeds thought to have been sent all the way from China. Consumers in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the EU have all received the unsolicited packages, prompting agriculture departments in several states to issue warnings against planting them. Amazon.com: china seeds. It's not just seeds—Americans are receiving all kinds of unsolicited packages from China, containing items ranging from fake Ray-Ban sunglasses to a pair of used socks. FILE - Mysterious seeds sent to Washington residents in the mail from China that they did not order on July 24, 2020. How many Chinese Sellers are there in 2020 and what tactics are they using to get ahead? If there is a bio security issue DEFRA should act. People in several states have reported finding packages in their mail from China that appear to contain things like jewelry but in fact contain packets of mysterious seeds. To report unsolicited seeds, individuals can fill out the form provided by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, here. The U.S. is a seed exporter to Asia but not a seed importer. Amazon is banning sales of plants and seeds imported from outside the U.S. after people received mysterious packages of seeds from China. They do this in order to create fake customer profiles with real names on e-commerce sites, and then create false positive reviews for their products and/or company,” a BBB news release stated. "Once the information is out there on the internet, it could be used for numerous crooked enterprises. A fake consumer profile will then be created under the receiver’s name, after which whomever the sender is, will write a false positive review on the product. The packages appear to be coming from China, according to the USDA. Amazon could not immediately be reached for comment. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. RELATED: Mysterious seeds being mailed to Virginia residents could be from China. Dear Katie, My son recently ordered some bulbs and seeds for my birthday from Amazon.co.uk. In this article, we’ll look at the tactics being used by Chinese Amazon sellers in 2019 to manipulate the platform. I will not be planting them. But can you keep the freebie? RELATED: Officials in Florida, other states warn about mysterious seed shipments from China. Postal Inspector, or the Better Business Bureau in your area for help," the FTC said. A “brushing” scam is when boxes of unordered packages arrive with a Chinese return address, or sometimes the packages appear to come from Amazon or another retailer, according to the BBB. A scam company is the real winner," the BBB said in its news release Monday. Osama El-Lissy, with the Plant Protection Program of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said in a July 29 statement that 14 different species of the seeds were identified from the “brushing” scams. AMAZON shoppers are being warned that items turning up on doorsteps that have not been ordered could be part of a scam to generate fake reviews. Mr. Crenshaw said he had ordered blue zinnia seeds from Amazon, but when he got the package about two months ago, it contained the blue zinnia seeds as well as seed … Officials in Florida, other states warn about mysterious seed shipments from China, Mysterious seeds being mailed to Virginia residents could be from China, Nashville officers heard audio warning from RV before it exploded, 2 children die in Christmas morning fire on Detroit's east side, Adorable girl gifts everyone a 'box of peace' this Christmas, Wayne County Board of Canvasser Chairwoman, Monica Palmer, speaks out after receiving threats, Michigan AG, Dana Nessel, warns parents to be on ‘high alert’ for sextortion, 18-year-old wanted for killing two sisters near former State Fairgrounds turns self in, Police say 2nd person found dead in home where elderly woman was killed, husband injured, New rule could require servers to share their tips with co-workers, US Department of Labor says, Threats made by a Pres. After mysterious seeds were sent to thousands of people, some unsolicited, in the United States from China, Amazon has announced changes to only allow seeds to be sold by sellers in the U.S., according to Amazon’s updated policy. Wochit. “For example, in one case a humidifier, a hand warmer, a flashlight, a Bluetooth speaker and a computer vacuum cleaner arrived unordered. While this isn't a new scam, the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers "of a scary downside" of getting free boxloads of merchandise from Amazon or other companies. Amazon, for its part, specifies that the seller is responsible for ensuring seed shipments are compliant with USDA regulations. The FTC also advises consumers to contact retailers for help dealing with unordered merchandise. According to the BBB, the best course of action if you receive a mystery package is to notify the retailer. The BBB gave a few examples of what some people have found in the usually lightweight packages: flashlights, Bluetooth speakers and computer vacuum cleaners. ", Need Clorox wipes? E-retailer Amazon has announced that it is banning the sale of foreign seeds in the United States after thousands of residents from across the country complained that they had received mysterious packages containing unidentified seeds from China. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A "brushing scam" could be putting your personal info at risk. They will investigate and take action on the bad actor," the BBB said. "The company also takes security seriously and encourages customers to report fraudulent purchases or other security issues.". Try Prime EN Hello, Sign in Account & Lists Sign in Account & Lists Orders Try Prime Cart. : Disinfecting wipes shortage could last into 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic, Hand sanitizer recalls: FDA list of hand sanitizers to avoid increases with more identified for methanol risk. The seeds, which have no label and are wrapped in plastic, are raising concern by officials that they could be invasive species of plants that are harmful to native plants and animals. "The Direct Marketing Association also may be able to help you. "You are not the one who hit the jackpot. Those mysterious seeds sent from China and Kyrgyzstan that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture warned about this week could be the product of an ... is a way to boost business ratings on Amazon. FILE - Mysterious seeds sent to Washington residents in the mail from China that they did not order on July 24, 2020. Citizens across the United States have reported receiving random unsolicited seed shipments from China. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. The company’s decision comes after thousands of U.S. residents reported receiving unsolicited packets of seed from China, prompting all 50 states to issue safety warnings. "If this doesn’t work, contact your state or local consumer protection office, local U.S. Amazon banning sale of foreign seeds after thousands of consumers received unsolicited packets in mailboxes postmarked from China. The seed types included flowering plants, herbs and vegetables. In fact, it is estimated that there are over 200,000 Chinese businesses currently selling on Amazon and this number is only expected to rise.. Amazon recently updated its policy, only allowing seeds to be sold by U.S. sellers after unsolicited packages containing random seeds were sent to United States residents, according to the USDA. ", Your next Amazon box might look a little different. An Arkansas man who received one of the mysterious seed packages sent to thousands of US residents from China planted them on his property — and said the results are wild. Often, the items received are lightweight and inexpensive to ship, such as ping pong balls, or more recently, face masks or seeds from China,” according a BBB news release. Amazon has barred foreign sales of seeds in the United States, following unsolicited mystery packets being shipped to Americans, mostly postmarked from China. © 2020 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Over the past week, USA TODAY Consumer Editor Michelle Maltais received three unordered Amazon packages: a bug zapper, an iPhone repair kit and an empty velvet jewelry pouch. When the parcel arrived I didn’t know what it contained, but I noticed it had been sent from China. But selling seeds online is also an attractive legitimate business for merchants in Asia who can sell a $1.50 packet of seeds from China for roughly $10 on Amazon, according to the Journal. Amazon has banned foreign sales of seeds in the U.S. after Americans across the country received suspicious packages of seeds, many originating in China, earlier this summer. I have contacted the supplier asking what they are playing at, and informed Amazon that they may be breaking the bio security rules. “What comes up I have no idea but I’m sure they're not going to be what I ordered,” said Trinity’s Katherine Heintz, who planted the strange seeds. Unsolicited Amazon boxes now showing up at homes in the same way packages of seeds, possibly from China, have been. 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