Your Reviews Are Targeted! The Reason Why Overseas "Brushing" Is Creeping into Japan

1. The "Mysterious Package" at the Doorstep Reflects a Reality Shock

In May 2025, X (formerly Twitter) user @iam_moisture posted, "Two items I didn't order arrived. And they're things I wanted. Why...?" This post recorded over 60,000 impressions. Shortly after, @Tomo_xxx also lamented, "I don't know who sent them, and it's scary," leading to the hashtag #AmazonBrushing trending.twitter.comtwitter.com

2. Latest Realities Reported by Germany's COMPUTER BILD

According to an investigative article published by German media COMPUTER BILD on June 4, cases of small items like smartphone cases and unbranded electronics being sent in bulk are increasing weekly in Europe. Anonymous Chinese sellers disappear quickly, making it difficult to crack down, and Amazon commented that their "fake review countermeasure team updates machine learning filters daily."computerbild.de

3. The Mechanism of Brushing Scams

1. Creating Fake Accounts ─ Purchase real addresses from leaked personal information lists

2. Dummy Orders ─ Sellers purchase themselves and send "packages"

3. Arrival = Review Rights ─ Platforms consider "shipment completed = purchase record"

4. Post High Ratings ─ A series of 5-star reviews with "verified purchaser" badges

5. Increase in Search Ranking ─ Favorable display with sales and related keywords

Keeper Security's Japanese explanation points out the significant gap between the perceived benefits (free items) and risks (leakage of address and purchasing trends) for victims.keepersecurity.com

4. Japanese Legal System and Consumer Affairs Agency Guidelines

• Specified Commercial Transactions Act for Countering Unsolicited Goods (Revised 2021) allows for disposal of unordered items after 14 days, including the day of receipt.

• The Consumer Affairs Agency Q&A advises "refusal to accept or return by cash on delivery if unopened, and taking photos for evidence preservation before disposal if opened." This content is also cited in a Karapaia article.karapaia.comkarapaia.com

5. Three Reaction Layers on SNS

On Yahoo! Chiebukuro, multiple past cases such as "Confused by receiving over 100 packages" have been reported, with many respondents advising "Don't leave it unattended, contact customer service."detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jpblog.m-biotics.com

6. Corporate Measures and Limitations

Amazon released a "Fake Review Detection AI" in 2024, but due to the "hit-and-run" type where sellers discard accounts before posting reviews, complete prevention is difficult. It is reported that the number of deleted fake reviews has tripled compared to 2019, but with 30 million reviews posted annually within the EU alone, manual monitoring is not realistic.

7. Five Steps to Minimize Damage

1. Refuse Receipt or Take Photos for Record

2. Submit Amazon Brushing Report Form (Order History → "Report a Problem")

3. Check Credit Card Statements and Account Logs

4. Search for Similar Cases on Social Media and Share Information

5. Dispose or Consult Consumer Affairs Agency After 14 Days

Amazon's official help page also guides on phishing report channels.amazon.co.jp

8. Future Outlook—Restoring Trust in the Review Ecosystem

To Eradicate Brushing Scams

• Platform Side:Strengthen KYC + Multi-Factor Authentication for Review Posts

• Consumer Side:Cultivate "Data Literacy" to Curb Excessive Joy Over Free Items

• Policy Side:Accelerate Cross-Border Data Provision Requests (e-Commerce Agreement)
  Experts Point Out.

Appendix: Reactions on Major Social Media (Excerpts and Interpretations)

"Got it for free, but a 5-star review was posted without my consent!? Scary…" — @iam_moisture (5/12)
"Through a wish list? Address leak is serious" — @Tomo_xxx (5/24)
"It's called a brushing scam. Reported to Amazon" — Anonymous Board Expert