Description:
Thousands of Americans are reporting that they¡¯re receiving mysterious
packages in the mail. The packages, sent from China and central Asia,
are full of seeds. Thomas Hanley of Simi Valley, California says he was
alarmed and threw the seeds out, and cleaned all the areas of his home
that might have come in contact with the seeds. Experts are warning
people not to plant the seeds, as they may be an invasive species of plant.
Transcription:
Reporter: So, what are these things? A prank, a scam, bioterrorism?
Thomas Hanley of Simi Valley California, is one of thousands of americans
who received the packet of seeds in the mail from China and central Asia.
How would you describe what it looked like?
Thomas: They looked like just crumbled up seeds I guess I didn't know what
they were.
Reporter: alarmed he threw them out.
Thomas: I was a little worried so I put on gloves took it out to the trash
cleaned up the areas in which I might have said it.
Reporter: Shelly Duffy also received a mysterious package of seeds.
Shelly: I brought inside the house open it up and it didn't look like seeds
it looked more like oregano or even you know some other herbs
Reporter: it's the same story for this Utah woman.
Woman: We opened them up and they were seeds.
Reporter: So back to the original question, what are they?
Dr.Milton McGiffen: a wide range of species from flowers to some some
look like some crop plants that I know to some look like grasses.
Reporter: and these look just like sunflower seeds. Experts are warning
everyone not to plant them because they could be an invasive species
there are even warnings about touching them because we don't know how
they were grown. Nancy Hansen did plant some of those mystery seeds
and lo and behold here's what bloomed. A plant. It¡¯s a morning glory.
Nancy: It concerns me because some of the articles I read so they can poison
the soil up to three years.
Reporter: Security experts also caution these seeds
could be a scam known as "brushing" a deceitful technique used to create
glowing online reviews of merchandise.
David: Someone does not make an order and they get a bag full of goodies
and they're from a company and they're so overwhelmed maybe they go online
they make a positive review and that pumps up the online presence of this of
this fraudulent merchant.
Reporter: In other words don't trust these seeds.
Questions:
1. What mysterious packets do people across America receive?
Where are they from?
2. Depict what the experts warn about them?
3. According to David Katz, what does "brushing" mean?