Conspiracy Theory Involving Wayfair Cabinets and Sex Trafficking Goes Viral, Company Says ‘No Truth to Claims’
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A conspiracy theory linking Wayfair, a home goods store, to a sex trafficking scheme went viral over the weekend after a Reddit user noticed high-priced cabinets on its website with first names in the product’s title.
The company denied any claims that the two were connected in a statement provided to multiple news outlets.
“There is, of course, no truth to these claims. The products in question are industrial grade cabinets that are accurately priced. 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.”
The theory began on Reddit, where a post suggesting the link came from the subreddit r/conspiracy.
“Is it possible Wayfair involved in Human trafficking with their WFX Utility collection?” user PrincessPeach1987 posted on Thursday. “Or are these just extremely overpriced cabinets? (Note the names of the cabinets) this makes me sick to my stomach if it’s true :(”
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 :( from r/conspiracy
The user, who only had a couple posts before the conspiracy, explained their reasoning behind the post in a reply Sunday, writing “I was looking at garage storage and I noticed all the weird cabinets. I got a weird feeling with the names and the prices. So then I just asked If anyone thought the trafficking theory could be possible.”
Their theory quickly made the rounds on other platforms. One tweet, which has almost 15,000 retweets, said “The internet busted a front line tracking operation right in front of our eyes” before hashtagging pizzagate, a 2017 anti-Hilary Clinton baseless conspiracy that led to a shooting at Washington D.C.’s Comet Pizza.
WAYFAIR literally deleted the cabinets that were up for more than 10k to hide their sex trafficking scandal!! The internet busted a front line tracking operation right in front of our eyes
SHARE SHARE SHARE, open you eyes people!!! This is bigger than yall even know. #pizzagate pic.twitter.com/Nye8eKJl5O— Melissa Perez: (@NooRemorse) July 10, 2020
Soon, members of QAnon, the far-right band of conspiracy theorists, circulated the post, as well.
While most have debunked the claim, other theorists have used a June 2019 walk-out by members of the company as proof of its existence. In it, employees protested Wayfair’s furniture sales to migrant detention centers.
In a statement to Newsweek, a Wayfair spokesperson said the cabinets were accurately priced and the company has removed the products off their website to rename them.
