With a pandemic, an economic crisis and political tension, the United States already has its hands full. But now something new has been added: an invasion of “unsolicited packages” from China. Hundreds of reports from nearly thirty states describe unidentified seeds that, at first glance, look like they come from a citrus fruit. Several government agencies have stepped in and are asking people not to plant the seeds under any circumstances. The big question: why were they sent, and what’s the point?
A relationship under strain
It’s enough to turn on the TV to see that the relationship between the United States and China is at a historic low. With tariffs on imports, closed consulates, regional influence conflicts, daily hyper-twitterism and a pandemic covering everything, both countries will need a lot of time and effort if they want to correct the situation. The feeling is that things will get worse before they improve, and the new wave of mysterious Chinese seeds definitely doesn’t help.
What’s going on?
What has happened? The United States Department of Agriculture received multiple reports in recent days of unsolicited packages with seeds from China. The strange packages reached almost the entire country, with several sources citing at least 28 states. The Department of Agriculture, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Homeland Security are working together and coordinating efforts with other state agencies to establish the origin and identify any risk present in the seeds.
The brushing scam theory
However, authorities believe the shipments are part of a technique called a brushing scam. The general structure of the brushing scam is based on creating fake customer accounts by a seller, who then buys their own “products” (cheap and of terrible quality) and sends them to other countries. The accounts may be fake, but the addresses are real, which allows the seller to register legitimate deliveries, post fabulous reviews about their products, and optimize their rating on platforms like eBay and Amazon, effectively “brushing” their reputation.
As expected, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended its postal service, stating that it “complies with all regulations” regarding seed shipments. The recommendation from the Department of Agriculture and other state-level groups is not to plant the seeds, as they could belong to an invasive species. Judging by the comments on Twitter, curiosity is getting the better of more than one...
Source: Fast Company
