Warning on unordered packets of seeds being sent to homes in El Dorado County and around the country

People around the country are receiving mysterious seed packets in the mail from China. While the shipping package may be mislabeled as jewelry or other merchandise, the contents are instead unlabeled seeds.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has become aware of a number of reports regarding these seeds.

Some have been mailed to homes in El Dorado County.

El Dorado County Department of Agriculture officials are instructing residents not to open, plant, or dispose of any unsolicited seed packets received, but to contact their office.

“Invasive species can devastate the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects, severely damage crops and poison livestock,” said El Dorado County Agricultural Commissioner Charlene Carveth. “Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestation and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations.”

“We encourage recipients to contact our office for arrangements to drop off the seed packets or for a staff member to pick up the packet. If you did plant the seeds, please contact our department for additional direction,” Carveth added.

The El Dorado County Department of Agriculture may be contacted at 311 Fair Ln, Placerville, CA and by calling (530) 621-5520.

According to Jane Rupp, President and CEO of BBB Serving Northern Nevada and Utah, it wouldn’t be the first time a company sent out unsolicited products to random houses.

In a scam known as “Brushing,” businesses will send their merchandise to your home in order to post a fake, positive review on their products. But why go through the trouble of mailing merchandise instead of just posting the fake review?

“Often, retailers require reviewers to have actually bought the product. You can’t review something if you haven’t bought it. So, these shady businesses have to make it look like their fake reviews come from legitimate people,” said Rupp. “Because big retailers like Amazon verify and track addresses and packages through a third party like USPS, scammers can’t send packages to bogus places.”

Instead, scammers go online, find real addresses of real people, and create fake accounts. They then mail these unsuspecting people an actual product—or something completely unrelated to what they’re selling. After the tracking system confirms delivery, these scammers can then leave a “verified” review in your name. Not only do they have one more stellar review, they have also falsely inflated their sales to look more successful than they are.

In any case, receiving one of these packages is bad news for you according to the BBB:

The fact that the items were sent to you as if you purchased them indicates scammers have some of your information, and may have also created an account in your name. Certainly, they have your name and address, and possibly, your phone number and a password. Once the information is out there, it could be used for numerous crooked enterprises.

The fake online review angle is only one way they benefit. By using the brushing scam, they also are increasing their sales numbers. After all, they aren’t really purchasing the items, since the payment goes right back to them. Increased sales numbers, even though padded with fake purchases, look good for the company and help lead to more sales.

What should you do if you receive mysterious seeds from China?

Contact your state's branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (or if in El Dorado County, and the number above). Do not plant them to see what grows or throw them away.

Notify the retailer. Look up the company who sent you the seeds. If you can find a listing on a 3rd party retailer, contact that company’s customer service and report the brushing scam.

Check your information. The package may be a sign that your personal information has been compromised. Change your password. Keep a close eye on your credit report, bank accounts and credit card bills. By looking up your name and address a search engine, you can in some cases see how public your information has become.