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Ok, first off this is not a "conspiracy theory" as it is a documented fact that is happening.

People across America are receiving small padded packages from china that contain bags filled with seeds of various types, sizes, etc. This is a fact.

So the question is "What's going on?"

Right now the main theory is this is a slimy business trick (Are there any non slimy ones?) called 'brushing" where a business gets your name and address somehow, then sends you something. Anything. Whatever, it doesn't matter. Then they are able to list you as a customer and use you as a reference, even post a positive review from you. I know, I know. You're going "HTF is that even possible??? " I reacted the same way. But apparently businesses get the laws they want passed and this is one of those cases.

I have not received any such packets. No one I know has claimed to. I'm note sure if this is going on outside america. (If it is happening in your country let me know, american media tends to ignore things like that.) If you got one what did you do?

If you do get one of these seed packets please do not throw it out, it could be an invasive species that could take root in dumps and landfills. Ask people in the south about Kudzu some time. In amerca people are being encouraged to take these to their local post offices for shipment to a testing site, or to destroy the seeds in some way.

As for moi, I might actually plant and attempt to grow one to see what it is while keeping the rest stored. Scientific curiosity, dont'cha know.

 Matt Swain wrote:
Ok, first off this is not a "conspiracy theory" as it is a documented fact that is happening.

People across America are receiving small padded packages from china that contain bags filled with seeds of various types, sizes, etc. This is a fact.

So the question is "What's going on?"

Right now the main theory is this is a slimy business trick (Are there any non slimy ones?) called 'brushing" where a business gets your name and address somehow, then sends you something. Anything. Whatever, it doesn't matter. Then they are able to list you as a customer and use you as a reference, even post a positive review from you. I know, I know. You're going "HTF is that even possible??? " I reacted the same way. But apparently businesses get the laws they want passed and this is one of those cases.

I have not received any such packets. No one I know has claimed to. I'm note sure if this is going on outside america. (If it is happening in your country let me know, american media tends to ignore things like that.) If you got one what did you do?

If you do get one of these seed packets please do not throw it out, it could be an invasive species that could take root in dumps and landfills. Ask people in the south about Kudzu some time. In amerca people are being encouraged to take these to their local post offices for shipment to a testing site, or to destroy the seeds in some way.

As for moi, I might actually plant and attempt to grow one to see what it is while keeping the rest stored. Scientific curiosity, dont'cha know.

I've heard about this, but if it's some kind of business trick why seeds? Why not rocks or sand or some other worthless material?

Just don’t breathe in their pollen or sleep in the same building with them.

I've seen some reports of them showing up in Eastern Canada too.

 ScarletRose wrote:
I've heard about this, but if it's some kind of business trick why seeds? Why not rocks or sand or some other worthless material?

Because the purpose of the scam is to fluff up the product itself in order make it look better than its competitors. If you start shipping rocks to phony customers then switch back to real seeds you probably need to relist - and there's always the risk that a legit customer will post a 1-star review during this period that says 'package contained sand instead of flowers'.

Funny thing is, it's probably not even the guy producing these packages at fault, scams like these are more often perpetrated by professed 'marketing specialist' firms who promise to drum up interest in your product on amazon or what have you. It's also a safe bet some money laundering is involved too.

The paranoid in me is that this is an attack by chia to ruin agriculture with invasive species.

 Captain Joystick wrote:

 ScarletRose wrote:
I've heard about this, but if it's some kind of business trick why seeds? Why not rocks or sand or some other worthless material?

Because the purpose of the scam is to fluff up the product itself in order make it look better than its competitors. If you start shipping rocks to phony customers then switch back to real seeds you probably need to relist - and there's always the risk that a legit customer will post a 1-star review during this period that says 'package contained sand instead of flowers'.

Funny thing is, it's probably not even the guy producing these packages at fault, scams like these are more often perpetrated by professed 'marketing specialist' firms who promise to drum up interest in your product on amazon or what have you. It's also a safe bet some money laundering is involved too.

Again, maybe it's my being a city person, but are seeds really big enough that someone would hire a marketing firm to fluff up their reviews?

I know there's money in agribusiness, but do companies really care about fake 5 star reviews?

It just seems like a lot for something so small.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
The paranoid in me is that this is an attack by chia to ruin agriculture with invasive species.

... if China wanted to ruin American agriculture there are far far far far better and easier ways to do it then ship people a packet of flowers unasked for and hope eneugh people plant them (as opposed to flushing them)

You know, when you say this is totally not a conspiracy theory.... could you maybe post a credible link to this happening?

Has anyone cultivated them or done genetic testing to see what they are because that's one hallmark of a good conspiracy, no evidence.

Have seeds been shipped? Sure. It's conceivable they are unsolicited.

Are they harmful? Maybe. Until some are germinated or gene scanned and we know what they are it's all just speculation.

stratigo wrote:
You know, when you say this is totally not a conspiracy theory.... could you maybe post a credible link to this happening?

Yup.

"This is totes NOT a conspiracy theory, but all the info I have is third hand at best and unverified with no links to it happening anywhere."

i'd laugh my ass off if they were poppy seeds.

Sending random people seeds through the mail?

Amateurs!

Link to a story about it:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-seeds-americans-mail-unsolicited/

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Sending random people seeds through the mail?

Amateurs!

This reminds me of a "prank" a group of my friends used to play, ordering each other bizarre stuff from ebay or amazon, or giving each other weird games on Steam. It has been a while, so I think I may have to do this again.

Possible reasons I can think of:

brushing scam, as everything that is sold has a profit, and small seed sales to gardeners have a big margin.
Money laundering or movement. The declarations say jewellery, so the "seller" could claim to sell something high value. Someone in the US pays the "price" for this to the "seller", who then sends out something cheap to a random address. This creates a real paper trail, including customs and shipping documents, whilst moving the money in to china, avoiding Chinese controls on the movement of money and laundering the money as tracing it from the US to China, and possibly back, would be impossible.
Covering up smuggling. Send hundreds of packets of "seeds" and a few packets of whatever you want to smuggle and hope they smuggled packets get missed.

Came across my news feed earlier in the week. It’s a weird one.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/brushers-arrange-fake-online-sales-to-enhance-sellers-reputations-11596046717

They put out a bulletin my town saying if anyone receives them not to plant them. lol

As a gardener I really want to know what the seeds are, out of sheer curiosity.

 NinthMusketeer wrote:
As a gardener I really want to know what the seeds are, out of sheer curiosity.

I'm hoping for Triffids.

Seeds from some dubious Chinese source? Pretty sure that's 'Audrey II'.

https://bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Little-Shop-of-Horrors-e1560782203967.jpg

It's not GM seeds you need to worry about, but GM fertiliser.
Don't look at China until after you look at Monsanto.

Kayback wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:
As a gardener I really want to know what the seeds are, out of sheer curiosity.

I'm hoping for Triffids.

Without the meteor shower it wouldn't do much!

 Steve steveson wrote:
Link to a story about it:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-seeds-americans-mail-unsolicited/

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Sending random people seeds through the mail?

Amateurs!

This reminds me of a "prank" a group of my friends used to play, ordering each other bizarre stuff from ebay or amazon, or giving each other weird games on Steam. It has been a while, so I think I may have to do this again.

Possible reasons I can think of:

brushing scam, as everything that is sold has a profit, and small seed sales to gardeners have a big margin.
Money laundering or movement. The declarations say jewellery, so the "seller" could claim to sell something high value. Someone in the US pays the "price" for this to the "seller", who then sends out something cheap to a random address. This creates a real paper trail, including customs and shipping documents, whilst moving the money in to china, avoiding Chinese controls on the movement of money and laundering the money as tracing it from the US to China, and possibly back, would be impossible.
Covering up smuggling. Send hundreds of packets of "seeds" and a few packets of whatever you want to smuggle and hope they smuggled packets get missed.

Man that is the most alarmist thing I've ever heard.

"CHINA IS SENDING US EVIL SEEDS EVERYONE! DON'T PLANT THEM! THEY'RE EVIL!"

Thank you CBP, for taking the time off of disappearing protesters in portland to warn us of dangerous chinese seeds. I am sure there is no ulterior motive here.

Are you being sarcastic?

Well are they really seeds from China?

The advice regarding planting them isn't that odd, there are many examples of innocent species jumping from one ecosystem to another and doing insane damage when they arrive. Seeds without knowing what they are could be a ticking time bomb even if totally unintentional.

You don't need "GM" to create a disaster.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Just don’t breathe in their pollen or sleep in the same building with them.

SIGH,

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-seeds-americans-mail-unsolicited/

BTW, on a clear day at noon the sky appears to be blue.

(Sits back and awaits someone to ask for a source to confirm that.)

Really? You're comparing first hand observation with a topic you started with 'hey, this isn't a conspiracy theory, honest?'

That's a starting proposition that definitively begs proof, as you created doubt even before establishing the premise.

Or maybe people could have gone and looked at some news sources for themselves before accusing the OP of spreading conspiracy theories. Seems a bit silly (and lazy) to demand a link for a story that's been all over the news internationally for several days now. (I'm in the UK and I heard about it 2 days ago FFS.)

 Duskweaver wrote:
Or maybe people could have gone and looked at some news sources for themselves before accusing the OP of spreading conspiracy theories. Seems a bit silly (and lazy) to demand a link for a story that's been all over the news internationally for several days now.

Disagree.

Given it’s a pretty wild claim, it’s on OP to support.

 Duskweaver wrote:
Or maybe people could have gone and looked at some news sources for themselves before accusing the OP of spreading conspiracy theories. Seems a bit silly (and lazy) to demand a link for a story that's been all over the news internationally for several days now. (I'm in the UK and I heard about it 2 days ago FFS.)

Most of the online news reports I saw showed one picture of Wish.com style packaging and some seeds. The same picture. Over and over.

Given how little I trust the news after being involved in various stories they have reported on and later read and gone "WHAT??!?! That isn't how it happened!" I like my stories to be corroborated a bit better before I believe them.

Remember any story in the news about a subject you know well and remember the mistakes they have made? They do that for ALL subjects. And it's worse now because they flat out cater to a demographic and report to sell advertising space, not share news.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

Kayback wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:
As a gardener I really want to know what the seeds are, out of sheer curiosity.

I'm hoping for Triffids.

Without the meteor shower it wouldn't do much!

Ah I see you are a person of culture too.

But remember the "meteor shower" happened years after Triffids were discovered. They were well established by the time the meteors blinded everyone.