People across the country in all 50 states have reported receiving unsolicited packages of seed from China. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has advised recipients to mail the unopened packages to state testing locations (which can be found at aphis.usda.gov).
As of July 29, a total of 14 of the seed species have been identified, including mustard, cabbage, morning glory, mint, sage, rosemary, lavender, hibiscus and rose.
“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,” USDA said in a released statement.
“USDA is currently collecting seed packages from recipients and will test their contents and determine if they contain anything that could be of concern to U.S. agriculture or the environment.”
