The baseless Wayfair conspiracy theory continues to be the highest-viewed item on Snopes, and we’re still getting a flood of questions and tips from readers.
In case you missed it, a thread: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
In case you missed it, a thread: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
First, you can learn more about real human trafficking, and not a conspiracy theory, here: https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/infographic">https://www.dhs.gov/blue-camp...
The claim is largely based on the idea that $10,000 is simply too expensive for a cabinet and there has to be some other explanation — child trafficking — to justify its cost. In a statement, Wayfair told Newseek: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
Some claimed that searching for the SKU associated with these items on a Russian search engine with “src usa” returned images of young female children. True, but searching for any random numbers with that term returns similar results. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
Others claim the products carry the first names of missing kids, many of whom @mediawise notes are no longer missing. Roughly 800K children are reported missing every year — any furniture that shares a name is likely a coincidence. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec... https://twitter.com/mediawise/status/1282793812348358657">https://twitter.com/mediawise...
Conspiracy proponents point to the arrest of a man in a Wayfair shirt in a prostitution sting. While the arrest happened, accounts leave out many key conflicting details: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
Other “evidence” that have been mailed to us:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen"> The CEO resigned! (He did not.)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen"> Why did Wayfair pull the products? (To clarify descriptions.)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen"> How could Snopes debunk this so fast? (Readers asked about it, it& #39;s our job, and we try to move fast!) https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
While reading, some questions: Why would a large business use their official website to allow people to purchase children, where anyone could order by accident? Why would they use a method so easy to track?
We conclude that this conspiracy is
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen"> false. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wayfair-trafficking-children/?utm_source=thread&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ctthread">https://www.snopes.com/fact-chec...
We conclude that this conspiracy is
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