Most of us have experienced the excitement of purchasing a product online, only to realize it was a scam, and receive something completely different.
As online shopping grows, so does the rise of scam shopping sites and misleading product listings. In fact, this issue has become so widespread that customers often have to sift through countless options just to find legitimate ones.
Even more concerning, their tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated. While users once relied on simple tools like Google Image Search to check if a product listing was unique, many scam sites now use artificial intelligence (AI) to generate convincing images, making it harder to spot a fake.
As a result, online shoppers have to be more cautious than ever—or risk major disappointment. This is exactly the situation TikTok user Joyce (@joycielib) recently found herself in.
What went wrong?
Stitching a comment saying, “somebody show us theirs when it comes in the mail,” Joyce took to TikTok to share her unboxing experience with a set of “mineral crystal” mugs she ordered.
In the video, which has racked up 1.8 million views so far, she explained the mugs were advertised as made out of crystal but turned out to be anything but.
“Here’s the unboxing we’ve all been waiting for,” Joyce says at the start of the video, pulling out the first mug. It’s painted in blue, orange, and yellow tones but far from what she expected.
“It’s plastic resin, it’s a really bad paint job,” she explains, turning the mug over in her hands.
Moving on to the next item, Joyce pulls out a blue mug. “Here’s the blue one, but it’s plastic resin. It is not anything crystal,” she says.
Then she reveals the last mug, a green one, which is supposed to resemble an emerald crystal. She disappointingly says, “And then this one.”
“Really bad paint job, resin, resin, resin, resin,” she states, pointing at each of the mugs.
To conclude, Joyce states in a defeated tone, “And I bet it’s gonna be hard to get my money back.”
Importantly, it seems the images used for the product listing on Happygiftss.com, where Joyce shopped, were AI-generated. The same product, featuring identical photos, is also being sold by other sellers on platforms like Amazon and Etsy.
How to protect yourself from online shopping scams
Joyce is certainly not the first one to fall victim to a too-good-to-be-true shopping site listing.
For example, one woman shared that she recently purchased a Pottery Barn bed frame, only to find out she could have bought it for half the price at Walmart. Similarly, another TikTok user said she spent $90 on earrings from what appeared to be a boutique store, but the product she received was “Dollar Tree quality.”
Thankfully, there are ways to protect oneself in these situations.
For instance, Central Bank suggests keeping an eye out for deals that seem too good to be true. Scammers often list popular items at unrealistically low prices to lure shoppers into providing their payment information.
To avoid falling for this trap, always double-check the website’s URL for misspellings. It’s also a good idea to make sure the checkout process is secure before making a purchase.
Additionally, if you come across a dubious image, you could try using tools designed to reveal AI-generated photos.
@joycielib Replying to @jgentis ♬ original sound – joyce g
Viewers react
In the comments, some users pointed out the images were AI-generated. Others were thankful to Joyce for exposing the scam.
“Miss girl this ad was clearly AI,” said one user.
“You a real one for posting this,” wrote another.
“The first one looks like they took some fruit roll ups and just mushed it to the cup lol,” stated a third.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Joyce via TikTok comment and message for more information.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
