A second East Alabama woman received a ring in the mail that she didn't order. The ring is likely part of a nationwide scam that the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has warned about.
Valerie Garner said she believed the ring came from a scam website, which she was tricked into ordering from. She spotted an ad for gym clothes on Facebook and clicked on the ad. It took her to what appeared to be the Gym Shark website, a company she had ordered from before. She said the website looked identical to the legitimate company's website. However, once she placed the order and began to track it, she knew something was off.
"I knew something wasn't right when it said it was coming from China," Garner told 1819 News.
She didn't get her order when the package was marked as "delivered." Instead, she got a ring in the mail. She Googled the sender's information and came across an 1819 News story about a Roanoke woman who received a ring and alerted the public to a possible scam.
The rings come in nice packaging and look beautiful at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, it is apparent that they are fake. Both packages received in Alabama had the same return name and address, which was traced back to an industrial warehouse in Montclair, California.
"I got the same ring, size and everything yesterday," Garner told 1819 News. "This is so strange."
Garner immediately called her bank and had her card canceled. She also changed her passwords to protect her information.
"I will actually not click on anything from Facebook again," she said. "I will actually go to my web browser and find the website or just stick to Amazon."
Summer Johnson, who previously received the same package, said she also ordered a different product from a phony website but quickly canceled the order when she realized it was fake. Even though she canceled the order, she still received a ring.
According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, scammers send unsolicited merchandise to people for various reasons. The ring packages included a QR code urging the receivers to register for a warranty. Scammers can use that process to gain access to personal information.
The United States Postal Inspection Service warns against paying for unsolicited items and answering a phone call about a package. They call the scam the "Brushing Scam."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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