Now, I usually spend my time here warning you about fake boutiques and sob-story animal rescues. Today I want to talk about something different. Bigger, honestly, and a little harder to wrap your arms around. It’s about artificial intelligence. Not the “robots are going to take over” version Hollywood’s been selling us for decades. Something … Read more
Scammers are the cockroaches of the internet, and their latest infestation is online clothing boutiques dressed up to look exclusive, personal, and trustworthy. I’ve been digging into these for about three days now, and I’ve already found almost 40 of them. Most follow the exact same pattern: two women’s names, an ampersand in the middle, … Read more
I was doing one last reverse image search before recording a video about a single scam Facebook page selling “handmade” purses. That search didn’t end with one page. It ended with 33. What I found is something I’m now calling the Purse Mafia, a network of storefronts across Facebook and Instagram, all presenting mass-produced bags … Read more
Meet Nonna. She started her leather handbag boutique in Florence in 1972. Brought to America in 1997. Spending her days hand-checking every stitch on leather bags meant to be passed down for generations. It’s a lovely story. Every word of it is false. Prefer to watch? Here’s everything I found. A Page With a Completely … Read more
176,000 people follow Amaya’s Buckles. They’ve watched her handcraft Western boots and buckles, cheered her on in the comments, and jumped to defend her husband against hateful commenters. None of it is real. Not the boots. Not the husband. Not even Amaya herself. Prefer to watch? Here’s everything I found. 176,000 Followers, Including 25 of … Read more
A rugged looking man. An American flag waving behind him. A story about being a combat veteran who hand carves patriotic emblems to support his family. He launched his shop right around America’s 250th birthday, timing built for maximum patriotic pull. There’s one problem. Sam Handmakes doesn’t exist. Prefer to read? Here’s everything I found. … Read more
Meet Maya and Henry. A sweet, devoted couple who’ve spent more than thirty years hand crafting jewelry together. Except they haven’t spent a single day doing it, because Maya and Henry aren’t real people. And they’re not running one fake storefront. They’re running two. Prefer to read? Here’s everything I found. Two Pages, One Story … Read more