A Massachusetts couple says it was fun at first when they started receiving free mystery packages from Amazon that they hadn't ordered.
Now they think it's annoying and want it to stop.
"We didn't order this stuff. We don't want this stuff. And we really want it to stop."
Mike and Kelly Gallivan, of Acton, say the first package arrived in October. They have continued to arrive at a rate of one or two a week, about 25 in all.
They contain mostly cheap stuff such as plastic fans and phone chargers.
The Gallivans say Amazon told them the merchandise was paid for with a gift card with no sender's name.
Two experts say the Gallivans are likely unwittingly being used in a ruse to manipulate Amazon buyer reviews. The anonymous sender is likely writing glowing reviews of their own product.
U.S. & World
"We are investigating inquiries from consumers who have received unsolicited packages as this would violate our policies," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. "We have confirmed the sellers involved did not receive names or shipping addresses from Amazon. We remove sellers in violation of our policies, withhold payments, and work with law enforcement to take appropriate action."
Chris McCabe, a former Amazon employee, says sellers send items to people like the Gallivans and then pretend to be them online "in order to make those product reviews look legitimate." It's something known as "brushing."
The Gallivans are musicians, not gadget geeks, and they just want this stuff out of their house.
"Take whatever you want, I'm not kidding you, you know, really."
