The Double Oak Police Department on Wednesday warned residents about a new scam targeting area residents.
A “brushing” scam is when someone receives an unexpected package they didn’t order, and the packages may contain rings, bracelets, necklaces, speakers, etc. The package will have the recipient’s address, but not include the sender’s information or be from a known retailer, according to DOPD.
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 often the victim’s bank accounts are drained.
“The gift can be kept or thrown away, but the QR code should NOT be scanned for any reason,” DOPD said in a statement. “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.”
