Brushing (e-commerce)

[5] Because a shipment usually has to take place for an order to be considered valid by the e-commerce site, the seller will frequently ship an empty box or some cheap item.

[2][6]: 166  These fake orders, if unnoticed, can boost the seller's rating, which can make it more likely that their items will appear at the top of search results on e-commerce sites.

The person who placed the order may also post a positive rating or review, further artificially increasing the credibility of the item's listing.

[2][5] In an effort to avoid detection, brushers may seek to imitate genuine consumer behavior, for example by browsing competitors' listings before making a purchase from the seller whose reviews they are inflating.

For instance, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission opened a probe to investigate the validity of their data when Alibaba reported revenue of more than $14 billion on Singles Day.

[8] The man operating the business was found guilty in a "landmark ruling" in the Italian courts, jailed for 9 months and ordered to pay €8000 in costs and damages.

Customers who believed they may have been the victim of brushing scams were advised to immediately notify the retailer in question, as well as change their password and possibly utilize credit-monitoring services.

China Post said that the mailing labels had been forged while Taiwan intended to fine a Chinese logistics company for transshipping contraband.

[19] Alibaba and eBay's plant security practices were investigated by James Comer, Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, at the start of October 2020.