Is Wayfair Really Trafficking Humans?
Allegations that Wayfair is trafficking humans hit the internet over the past few days as the company was selling utility cabinets, and other items, with human names for upwards of $14,000.
Wayfair claims the listings were a mistake. Is it our duty as citizens to not simply accept a company's denial of something? Is it important we look past the limited research of fact checkers and ask deeper questions? Where are these realizations leading us? You have likely heard about it by now, allegations that Wayfair was selling everything from industrial cabinets, desks, pillows and shower curtains at extremely high prices, when in reality they were selling humans. It began as a Reddit thread, where a user who noticed extremely high priced utility cabinets on Wayfair asked if anyone else thought it was weird that there were female names in front of the descriptions of the items. “Is it possible Wayfair involved in Human trafficking with their WFX Utility collection? Or are these just extremely overpriced cabinets? (Note the names of the cabinets) this makes me sick to my stomach if it’s true,” one Redditor user named PrincessPeach1987 posted.
This sparked a string of discussion into whether or not Wayfair was selling these items as a cover for trafficking humans. Over a couple of days, it blew up into a huge collective research project on the internet, rife full of great questions and at times false information. Nonetheless, any investigative journalist would tell you there is something here that has not yet been explained, and further investigation is a must because these allegations may very well be true. A screengrab of Wayfair’s alleged website posting cabinets with human names being sold for upwards of $12,000 each. Oddly, Wayfair’s product names match some children found to be recently missing in the US. Although Wayfair has come out denying allegations of human trafficking and claimed the products were a mistake. Wayfair removed the product images from its website and said it plans to rename the products.
The products were named Neriah, Yaritza, Samiyah and Alyvia ranging in price between $12,699.99 and $14,499.99.
“Recognizing that the photos and descriptions provided by the supplier did not adequately explain the high price point, we have temporarily removed the products from site to rename them and to provide a more in-depth description and photos that accurately depict the product to clarify the price point,”
Susan Frechette, a Wayfair spokeswoman.
It’s important to note that fact checkers have claimed this story is false, but their position is only based on Wayfair’s statement that it wasn’t true, not actual research and critical thinking. As per usual, no authentic and thorough research was done by fact checkers when it comes to this story.
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