#Residents report mysterious packages from China beyond just seeds

After reports across the country of mysterious packages of seeds arriving from China, residents from New York to Georgia now say they’re getting other bizarre shipments from the country that they never ordered.

The USDA has begun identifying the unsolicited seeds sent across the US this summer — including mustard, cabbage and herbs like sage and rosemary — which the agency believes is part of what’s called a “brushing scam.”

The scheme relies on “customers” who receive goods they never ordered so that the sender then posts a fake customer review in their name to boost sales.

Now, an ABC affiliate in Atlanta reports that residents have begun receiving everything from fake Rayban sunglasses to whistles from China.

“I don’t think people are sending this in goodwill in my opinion,” Faith Tankersley, who received the suspicious sunglasses, told the station. “I’m just afraid that there may be something harmful to them.”

Another resident, Kelley Litty, said she received a Chinese package of face masks last month.

“It says China on the label for masks. [I’m] 1,000 percent sure I did not order any mask,” Litty said. “It’s a complete surprise. And it doesn’t make sense.”

In upstate New York, Broome County residents told the local CBS/CW station that they’ve received random packages of facemasks as well. One Endicott resident, Dawn Proctor, told the outlet she received what appeared to be a package of dirty socks from China.

“No invoice attached,” Proctor said. “No note attached. The socks looked like they were used. We all kind of laughed about it. Thought it was odd and threw them away.”

US officials have not confirmed that any of the reports were related or that any of the new packages are part of a coordinated scam.

The USDA has informed residents not to plant seeds they’ve received. Residents should instead save the seeds and their packaging in which they arrived and send them to their local plant regulatory officials for testing.