The BBB, a nonprofit consumer protection agency, called the scams “a serious problem for victims.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and authorities in Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado have also flagged the issue in recent months.
In more benign cases, fake QR codes install software that floods a phone with spam and posts fake product reviews under the victim’s name.
“I’ve personally seen a small bamboo cutting board, a small bag of plaster, and more,” said Mike Martel, a postal inspector and spokesman at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which investigates mail crimes. “The goal is to boost sales through embellished reviews. If that is achieved, the increase in purchases could outweigh the cost of the unsolicited item.”