A Roanoke woman is warning other online shoppers after she said she was nearly scammed by a gift she received in the mail.
Summer Johnson opened a package she received over the weekend and was surprised to see a beautiful ring. At first glance, the ring looks to be a diamond ring. Johnson has been searching for rings on Facebook Marketplace recently after she lost her wedding rings.
She called her husband because this week is her birthday, and she even thought he may have bought her a replacement ring. But when he said he had no idea what she was talking about, she took a closer look.
“You can tell it isn’t real or worth much at all,” Johnson told 1819 News.
Johnson said she felt something strange about the ring, and when she posted about it on Facebook, she learned about a brushing scam.
According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, scammers send unsolicited merchandise to people for various reasons. In Johnson’s case, a QR code was included in the package so she could register the ring for a warranty. She believes that if she had followed the prompts, scammers would have gotten her personal information.
While it is unclear where the scammer obtained Johnson’s name and address, she believes it may have been connected to a website she recently ordered from. She saw an ad for the “Love in Faith” website, which is a legitimate business. When she clicked on the advertisement from the TikTok shop, it took her to LoveIfFaith.com instead of LoveInFaith.com. Unfortunately, Johnson said she didn’t realize it until after she completed a purchase.
“I mostly shop online and recently ordered from a website that concerned me,” Johnson said. “I immediately canceled it and called my credit card company to change cards.”
The return address on the package belongs to an industrial warehouse in Montclair, California.
Johnson said she changed all of her passwords after realizing the ring was likely connected to a scam.
The United States Postal Inspection Service warns against paying for unsolicited items and answering a phone call about a package.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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