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Mystery Seeds Arriving in US From China Could Be Part of Scam, Officials Say

Forest Cong

   WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say that Americans who are reporting
   receiving unsolicited packages containing seeds purportedly sent from
   China could be the victims of a fraudulent internet retail scheme known
   as a "brushing scam."

   Residents of about a dozen U.S. states have reported receiving
   mysterious packages containing dozens of seeds that appeared to have
   been mailed from China. The seeds are of unknown origin, and state
   agencies are warning recipients not to plant them if they are invasive
   species.

   "At this time, we don't have any evidence indicating this is something
   other than a 'brushing scam' where people receive unsolicited items
   from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales,"
   the [1]U.S. Department of Agriculture wrote on its website, adding that
   the agency is investigating the packages from China.

   Mystery seeds

   In recent days, residents all over the country have been reporting on
   social media that they received mystery packages containing seeds that
   they did not order. With either white or yellow packaging, the packages
   appear to have been shipped via China's state-run postal agency and
   contain Chinese characters on the outside. At least 30 states are
   urging its residents to report these unsolicited packages of seeds,
   warning they could be harmful.

   "Anyone receiving seeds that they did not order should not open the
   packets or plant the seeds," Michael Wallace, director of
   communications at Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer
   Services, told VOA.

   "Residents should be cautious because planting seeds that are
   non-native to the United States could potentially be an invasive
   species that would be a detriment to the environment," warned Louisiana
   Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain.

   He told VOA the state is also concerned about the introduction of
   seed-borne pathogens into the environment.

References

   1. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2020/sa-07/seeds-china

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