People from all over the country have been receiving strange packages from China with items they never ordered. Last month, people reported mysterious packets of seeds being delivered to their doorstep. This month, the mystery packages contained face masks.

Shan Sharp of Clearwater, Florida, told WFLA she was worried when the package arrived at her home.

"I looked at the label, and it had Shanghai, China from a certain district," she said. "All of this information, including my cell phone number, (was) on there."

She carefully opened the box and found two packages of face masks, which she immediately threw in the trash.

"I was afraid to even open it after I saw it," she said. "I didn't want to keep it in my house."

One woman in North Carolina was creeped out after she received a package with just a single face mask inside.

"There's no note, nothing, and all I got is a faded tracking address and some tracking numbers," Angela Osborne told WCPO.

Authorities in Tazewell County, Virginia, advised residents to throw out the masks after they received multiple reports of the unsolicited packages.

"Have you received face masks from China that you didn't order? Members of our community have begun receiving these packages, our recommendation is if you didn't order it throw it away. Just like with the seeds that have been sent it is not recommended using the mask sent to you, throw the mask away."

The masks are likely being sent as part of a brushing scam, in which a seller creates fake accounts using somebody else's personal information. They then order their own items and have them shipped to unsuspecting people. Once the packages are delivered, the account is considered a verified buyer and the positive reviews and comments that can then be left are weighted more heavily by online shopping sites.

Photo: Tazewell County Sheriff's Office

Michael Berry

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