Wayfair Human Trafficking
Around July 10, the conspiracy theory became a social media sensation. According to social media monitoring company CrowdTangle, the phrase “Wayfair” was referenced in thousands of postings on Facebook alone during the course of the subsequent week, and there were millions of interactions with such content.
Users were quickly disseminating the theory throughout all social media platforms, from individual accounts with a small following to recognised influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers.
Fact-checkers from USA TODAY, Reuters, Snopes, and other publications were motivated to look into the accuracy of the information as a result. Each stated that there was insufficient solid proof for the conspiracy claim. However, a lot of social media users continue to believe it to be true.
Image Source: Twitter
Is Wayfair Child Trafficking?
According to the theory, Wayfair is selling household items like cabinets, throw pillows, and shower curtains while really trafficking children on their website.
Theorists appear to think that when someone purchases a product advertised for thousands of dollars, they are somehow expressing a wish to buy a child whose name also happens to be the product’s name. Some have speculated that this may be accomplished by using a promotional code, choosing a particular delivery option, or having a Wayfair Professional account.
Some people claim that some Wayfair products have names that are similar to kids who have gone missing in the US. Some people also think that the product weights and dimensions are actually descriptions of children rather than the actual items.
A “Samiyah 5 — self storage cabinet” with a price of $12,899.99 was visible in one user’s screen capture. A lady claiming herself as Mumin went on Facebook Live on July 10, 2020, to confirm that she was not missing after many people expressed concern over a story of a 17-year-old Samiyah Mumin going missing in Ohio in 2019.
Wayfair Human Trafficking Reddit
The conspiracy appears to have begun with a query posted on July 9 on Reddit’s conspiracy theory forum: “Is it conceivable that Wayfair is connected to human trafficking through its WFX Utility collection? Or are these simply outrageously pricey cabinets?
Following that, nearly 3,000 comments in that thread and additional spin-off discussions expanded on the theory.
Users commented on Wayfair’s website with links to items that appeared to be exorbitant, and their mistrust increased when some listings were removed or their prices dropped.
A Wayfair spokeswoman told USA TODAY. “The products in question are industrial grade cabinets that are correctly priced.”
Wayfair Child Trafficking
Wayfair has clarified that it uses an algorithm to name its products, which is why some of its products have child names (other retailers also use first names to brand their products).
However, it claims that the specific cabinets are substantial “industrial size” objects intended for corporate or commercial use, acknowledging that the high prices quoted may have caused confusion.
An official source told BBC News: “We have temporarily removed the products from our site to rename them and to provide a more in-depth description and photos that accurately depict the product to clarify the price point.”
Additionally, there are unfounded rumors that the high price of customized pillows, which can reach $10,000, is due to the involvement of child trafficking.
This was denied by Wayfair, who attributed it to a pricing error on their website. Other online retailers occasionally experience the same kinds of issues.
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