Several of our gardens have reported that their community members are receiving unsolicited seed packages falsely labeled as originating from their organization. This activity appears to be part of a broader "brushing scam," similar to those reported in previous years across the U.S., involving packages marked with foreign labels and unfamiliar seeds. 

A brushing scam involving seeds is a type of e-commerce fraud where sellers send unsolicited packages of seeds to addresses, then post fake, positive reviews to boost their product ratings and sales. This is done to trick online marketplaces into giving them higher search rankings and potentially more business. 

To protect our local ecosystems and agriculture, please read the Buckeye Yard and Garden OnLine articls Mystery Seeds are Back for 2025! to learn what to do with the seeds received.