READING, MASS. (WHDH) - Several Massachusetts residents have recently received unsolicited packages of suspicious plant seeds that appear to be coming from China, officials announced Tuesday.
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is urging residents that receive or have received an unsolicited package of seeds to not plant them and immediately complete a form to provide important information to state plant regulatory officials.
“I had this envelope in the mail, it said jewelry on the front of it and I actually thought to myself ‘I don’t think I ordered anything that was jewelry,” Reading resident Crystal Hodson said. “I opened it up and there were some seeds.”
Residents that receive a package should hold on to the seeds and all packaging, including the mailing label. A representative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or MDAR will be in contact with instructions regarding the collection or disposal of the seeds.
Police in Burlington say they have received at least one report of someone receiving a package of seeds. They reiterated that these seeds should not be planted.
“It just seems so bizarre to be happening especially now with everyone on a heightened alert right now,” Hodson said.
Agriculture departments in Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Washington state are among state agencies that have issued similar warnings.
“At this point in time, we don’t have enough information to know if this is a hoax, a prank, an internet scam or an act of agricultural bioterrorism,” Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said.
The United States Department of Agriculture said that, “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.”
They are collecting seed packages from recipients to test their contents to determine if they contain anything that could be of concern to U.S. agriculture or the environment.
Officials say invasive plant species can threaten the integrity of local ecosystems and displace native plants, including rare and endangered species.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and State departments of agriculture to investigate the situation.
“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,” the department said.
Those who have received the seeds said they feel unnerved by the whole ordeal.
“It’s a bizarre feeling, you’re kinda like how did they get my information why did I get picked to be sent it,” Hodson said. “Kind of peculiar”
Officials warn those who get the mysterious seeds in the mail not to plant them or throw them away. They should report them on mass.gov.
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