Shoppers should beware of a new "Luxembourgish artisan" shop on social media, as multiple red flags – from AI-generated images to product duplicates on Amazon – heavily indicate a scam operation.

A recently launched online store advertising handmade Luxembourgish leather goods has raised suspicions of being a fraudulent operation.

RTL

The shop, promoted under the name "Jean Weis" on social media, claims to have manufactured backpacks since 1998 – yet digital footprints suggest the business only emerged in mid-July 2025.

Several warning signs point to potential fraud. The website contains numerous spelling mistakes and unnatural Luxembourgish phrasing. On Facebook, where "Jean Weis" heavily promotes his products, the first post only dates back to 13 July 2025, just over a week ago. This is obviously at odds with the story that Weis has supposedly been making his bags since 1998.

The announcement of an imminent store closure combined with a final sale also follows a well-known scam pattern. As for the backpacks themselves, a brief online search reveals them to be identical to mass-produced items from Chinese brand GAOHONGMEI available on Amazon – at lower prices than the Weis shop's "discounted" offers.

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The pictures used on the website and the Facebook account are either easily identifiable as AI generated or stock photos, some of which may be over ten years old. Reverse image searches confirm none of the promotional photos depict authentic products or the purported artisan.

The profile picture of "Jean Weis" bears hallmarks of AI generation, likely created using tools like ChatGPT, as indicated by an AI detection tool.

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© Sight Engine screenshot

Users are advised to report the suspicious profile to Facebook or Luxembourg's Bee Secure cybersecurity initiative.