Merchandise scams
Posted by heresmytwopence@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 145 comments
Most of you seem to know this already, but please be aware that virtually every piece of Xennial-themed merchandise posted here is a scam.
The scammer starts by posting a photo of merchandise that fits the subreddit's theme, then multiple users who are also participating in the scam leave comments either asking where they can buy the item or a link to a website selling it.
We try our best to shut down these threads as quickly as possible, and the participants usually quickly delete them to try to avoid detection when we don't, but we want everyone to be aware of it.
If you see a post matching this description, the best thing to do is report it. Participating in the thread puts you at risk of having to appeal a ban.
Material-Jacket3939@reddit
So is this a scam to get me to Cracker Barrel?
Jupiter68128@reddit
If you want to talk about Canker BARGLE, you should go over to r/oldpeoplefacebook
maggie320@reddit
TIM YUM
Stardustchaser@reddit
That or Hot Topic or Spencer’s
LegitimateBlonde@reddit
But they fired Brad’s wife! On his birthday!! 😂
Peppermeowington@reddit
11 years of service 🤬🤣
BoysenberryKind5599@reddit
Oh I had forgotten all about this. It's crazy how we've gathered collective internet memories.
Captain_Desi_Pants@reddit
Big Barrel is deploying the bots
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
https://i.redd.it/685ocwo32jxg1.gif
Fickle_Wrangler_7439@reddit
To be fair, I can make one of those at my public library's Makerspace for like...$3.
Would rather this place not turn into Facebook Marketplace though, appreciate the work, mods.
Auntie_Venom@reddit
I use my Library’s Makerspace too for equipment I don’t have (yet). I need to check if they have a sublimation printer and heat press for mugs. I’m betting they do…
I’m getting together stuff now for their big craft supply trade event coming up next month. If you donate, you get to go in an hour early for the “good stuff!” It’s really great for the crafting community to get rid of some stash and help others. What’s leftover is either used for the crafting classes they offer or donated to a local thrift store.
Redahned1214@reddit
Hey, what's a makerspace? Like, a part of the library you can do crafts in and stuff?
Fickle_Wrangler_7439@reddit
Never hurts ttoo request a sublimation printer if they don't have it either.
Just saying as a public librarian myself, if patrons politely request something, we're way more likely to get it than if it's just staff saying we need it.
Auntie_Venom@reddit
Thanks for the tip! I had a simple question about the embroidery machine thread based on info on the website once and it took a Slack conversation with the Makerspace team and I still didn’t get a real answer. Soooo who should I make requests like that to?
theshoeshiner84@reddit
I make for you. 2$. Is birthday? Only 1£.
EliteJoz@reddit
Best I can do is 67¢
iaurp@reddit
You made this? Wheres can one buy it??
/s
TreemanTheGuy@reddit
Also why would the OP get this as a gift, then decide to take it out to the car for a photo?
Otherwise-Safety-579@reddit
We have enough real scams. This is just the newest in the crappy world of marketing, which has always been crappy and continues to innovate to be crappier.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Deceptive marketing utilizing fake customers is a scam in our book.
Otherwise-Safety-579@reddit
Fair enough
doodlezoey@reddit
It's the same thing on nearly every band's sub. A shirt gets posted with a caption like "just found this gem in my old collection" and lo and behold the first few comments include something like "anybody know where I can find this" and wow, somebody magically has a link. Reddit is becoming a cesspool of bots and ads, unfortunately.
BeignetsAndWhiskey@reddit
It was really bad on sports teams' subs until everyone caught on
Nikkinap@reddit
Yeah, I've noticed this uptick, too. I also don't understand why anyone would actually ask where to get something, so I assume everyone asking that question is a scammer. If I like something posted on Reddit, I'll Google it. If there's no legitimate shop selling it, it's a scam. If it still REALLY like it, I'll just have it custom made.
idwthis@reddit
That's exactly what I do.
My first reaction to this post was "neat cup, wonder if theres a legit site selling it, and if not I can probably just use one of those sites that will print your own artwork/slogans on sitckers/cups/shirts/hats/hoodies, but oh wait, that involves me having the disposable income to even do that, so I'll just file this away for when I win the lotto."
Kahnza@reddit
Google Lens is great for finding things
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
For those who like to sleuth, here are some dead giveaways:
Poor English (e.g. "Wife gave me for my ??th birthday", Check out this here").
OP and all commenters encouraging purchase have the same account age.
No-Salt4637@reddit
Neil_sm@reddit
Lmao I just went back up to look closer at the photo after you said that and noticed smoke coming out of their otherwise empty fingers!
SenseAndSaruman@reddit
And what’s on the drivers seat?
justonemom14@reddit
Idk but there's no steering wheel. I suppose it could be a European car, but still something feels off about the angles of the dash.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
💯 percent.
TRJ2241987@reddit
I am literally the commenter…not a bot…and literally saw this mug in the Cracker Barrel in Holyoke Mass yesterday
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Your comment went along for the ride because it was sandwiched between two comments I was trying to call out. I apologize if it came across otherwise.
TRJ2241987@reddit
lazyrainydaze@reddit
Wait, wait! Crème Savers!?! Like THE Crème Savers!?! Which flavors do they have? Strawberry? Orange? Raspberry!?! I haven’t had a crème saver in AGES!! They were my absolute favorite, especially Raspberry & Orange! Asking before I make a drive.
Objective-Plum1201@reddit
I saw Crème Savers at Target recently. I was blown away.
lazyrainydaze@reddit
Yessss! I’m shocked and pleasantly surprised to hear this!! On my way to go get me some Crème Savers!! 30yrs has been WAY too long! Thank you kind internet strangers!!
Objective-Plum1201@reddit
I hope you find them! My Target is one of the tiny ones that barely carries anything so hopefully it’s there for you.
lazyrainydaze@reddit
Thanks you! & If not, I have a backup! From what I hear, I don’t think Cracker Barrel will let me down! 🤞🏼🤞🏼
TRJ2241987@reddit
They had several kinds, I got the big bag of Strawberries and Creme. I believe I saw Orange Crème too. They have many “discontinued” 90s/2000s candy at Cracker Barrel
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
No worries, friend. There was never any suspicion that your comment was part of the scam.
TRJ2241987@reddit
Oh, well in my case it’s just a coincidence. I go to Cracker Barrel almost every Saturday to buy glass sodas and they have lots of candy you can’t find anywhere else and I definitely saw this mug yesterday
Neil_sm@reddit
Yeah I don’t think they thought the Cracker Barrel comment was a scam. The scam typically sends people to a sketchy website to buy whatever they’re posting, not to a real brick-and-mortar shop.
_Face@reddit
Allowing users to hide their history is one of the worst moves Reddit has made in a long time. Allows scammers so much freedom and a big shield covering them. Mods can see their history obviously, but I used to hunt down all these scammer rings and report the whole thing.
nemosfate@reddit
Look up Arctic shift photon
SnooCookies6231@reddit
Another telltale sign is “I just bought mine and love it!”
Nicobeak@reddit
NEED
realoctopod@reddit
Car is right hand drive.
On_my_last_spoon@reddit
Oh! I see that now!
Also where is that cigarette smoke coming from?
jawsome_man@reddit
The account ages are also often <3 days old, although not always. If you dig into their post history, there basically is none, other than to plug this product or similar products.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Accounts do tend to be on the younger side since they eventually get suspended, but the latest batch was surprisingly old in t-shirt scammer years. They were all exactly the same age though.
darthdelicious@reddit
Goddamned dead internet. Back in my day, if you wanted to call someone a slur, you had to take the time to dial into the BBS, hunt them down, ask a/s/l and then go ham on them with words or, at best, ascii characters. WTF is this slop?
ChiefBroady@reddit
Ok, scam. Get it. But where can I get this mug for real?
IntenseBananaStand@reddit
Your public library. You design it in canva. Print it out on a mug transfer label. Apply it. Heat it up. Remove the paper. Boom you have a mug. My 9yo daughter can do it.
ChiefBroady@reddit
Hm… yeah. I actually have the equipment at home. Just need to buy a mug and the transfer stuff.
Auntie_Venom@reddit
I’m a designer, I can create the file for you in Illustrator.
ChiefBroady@reddit
Thanks. I got all the tools, software, etc. I just forgot that I actually also owned one of those heat transfer things for mugs.
Fishtronaughticlus@reddit
Amazon
ilovecostcohotdog@reddit
I got the tshirt version of this from my kids. I think they got it from Etsy so maybe start there.
Platt_Mallar@reddit
Cracker Barrel, apparently.
chypie2@reddit
and if it's something I do actually want to check out, I don't use the link posted so they don't get the affiliate credit, haha.
worksnake@reddit
I am constantly shitting on these posts and calling them scams and most of the responses I get are negative pushback about how I’m just not fun at parties or some such bullshit.
AkamaiHaole@reddit
Used to be, it was just bots posting all of these scams and then responding with links to people who comment. But then they started getting downvoted to oblivion when people caught on so now there’s tons of bots to comment and upvote the original bot and downvote the people calling it out.
RogerClyneIsAGod2@reddit
JFC, why?!?! Do these companies make that much money off this type of garbage that they go to those lengths?!
AkamaiHaole@reddit
Calling these “companies” is too generous. They’re scams. Some don’t send anything. Some send super crappy versions of the advertised product. Some steal your credit card info.
et40000@reddit
Yes, these bots are usually hilariously cheap so even if they don’t make any money it didn’t cost them much anyway.
VulgarTurkey@reddit
Wow, you must be fun at parties 🙄
😉
worksnake@reddit
Hey! But that's what...oh you!
Mundane_Character365@reddit
Plot Twist
Worksnake is indeed very fun at parties, but has been running a long game scam to get us all to believe that they are not fun at parties.
There will then be a house party, maybe after prom, and worksnake will take off their glasses after entering the party.
Then we all see that worksnake is actually the life of the party.
Then profit, for some reason.
Kellzy1212@reddit
krissyface@reddit
Every sub is full of these ai scams and bots upvoting the scams. Reddit doesn’t care because it looks like it’s increasing engagement.
beezchurgr@reddit
I report them as spam. No idea if it works but engagement will push it up so other people see it.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
I'm not privy to Reddit's inner workings, but since these accounts eventually get suspended, I can only guess that the spam reports do help. Mods also have the ability to remove posts and comments "as spam", so we make sure to do that with these.
beezchurgr@reddit
I’ll keep reporting. Thanks for your hard work!
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
We appreciate your help! As a whole, this group is great at reporting garbage and helping us get rid of it quickly.
On_my_last_spoon@reddit
I just gave you your 69th upvote
You’re welcome
KDiggity8@reddit
Nice.
Josephthebear@reddit
Schmitty300@reddit
My fiancee has a t-shirt with this. 👍😁
Annahsbananas@reddit
“Please kindly buy our mug it is the most important”
~PayPal Security refund department
Yachtitect@reddit
Meh, a fool and his money are soon parted.
veiled-nomore99@reddit
Another sign it’s a scam, where the heck is that smoke on the left coming from?!
fiercetywysoges@reddit
I did get this ornament a couple years back because I couldn’t resist.
No scam involved other than appealing to my nostalgia.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Right. We know the merch does exist. The problem we're having is with fake accounts trying to direct interested readers to unreputable websites to buy it. We fully support you buying the merch from reputable sellers, but you won't find them through posts like the one I wrote about here.
stavago@reddit
The scammers also downvote legitimate comments
SeasonPositive6771@reddit
Yep, if anyone tries to warn someone about the scam, the scammers try to disappear those comments immediately. It's ridiculous and reddit seems to be doing very little about it.
HereWeFuckingGooo@reddit
I prefer this design.
Astr0b0ie@reddit
It is a much better design, but the whole premise is... too early? My 27 year old step son was born in '99, so he's technically "from the 1900s" too. This meme will work much better when he's around my age in the mid 2040s.
HereWeFuckingGooo@reddit
He's not from the 1900s. You're not from the place you're born.
Astr0b0ie@reddit
True.
neckbeardsghost@reddit
Ooh where can I get this?
/s
HereWeFuckingGooo@reddit
www.totallynotascamwebsite.com/givemeallyourinfo
Hillbillygeek1981@reddit
We have crossed the Boomer Rubicon and now need to be warned about scams on the internet specifically targeting our generation. I'm going to take my Temu entrenching tool out to the yard and dig my own grave now.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
I wouldn't call it a "need" so much as a precaution. The posts get enough engagement that it felt worth mentioning.
Hillbillygeek1981@reddit
The fact that it's even become a thing is sad though. Is counterfeit pop culture merch becoming our commemorative coin collections? Lol
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I'll likely have a box stuffed with uncirculated coin folios to unload when my folks pass.
Hillbillygeek1981@reddit
I'm very fortunate to have a silent generation parent and a boomer parent, both of which grew up in crushing poverty. Not much impulse to give in to "investment" scams or frivolous collectibles. My kids will likely only have to deal with a massive pile of books and wargaming miniatures when I die and my ex wife is well on her way to leaving them nothing but a shipping container's worth of Funko pops and an equally huge pile of books, lol.
wrestlegirl@reddit
BotBouncer & a couple automod rules do a good job at stopping apparel scammers. I can't remember the last time I had them in my subreddits.
NeighborGeek@reddit
What is this, a botbouncer ad now? :P
wrestlegirl@reddit
No affiliation, I just mod a few high traffic subs with subject matter that attracts apparel bots!
Defiant_Cookie_4963@reddit
I recognize your name and appreciate your rad high-profile modding! Glad to see you’re one of us! 🫶🏻
wrestlegirl@reddit
https://i.redd.it/wy9pccmy8kxg1.gif
Main-Drag-4975@reddit
Wife have me it for my 45th subreddit
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
😂
_Face@reddit
Here!!!!!
neckbeardsghost@reddit
I honestly expected that link to be a rick roll 😂
_Face@reddit
I'll turn in my Xennial card and seppuku immediately.
libertyprivate@reddit
I also choose that redditors wife
No-Dig-4408@reddit
Anyone know where to buy one of these bouncing bot thingies?
doodlezoey@reddit
where can I obtain this botbouncer? Do you have a link (with a referral embedded)?
Jimmy_McAltPants@reddit
That sounds great! Do you know where I can get that???
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Thanks! We have some tools and tactics in place as well but I didn't want to show our hand. 😅
LolaAucoin@reddit
I have this sticker on my laptop. A Gen Z girl from my class gave it to me.
blaz138@reddit
I posted a shirt I made in my (very small) local town subreddit and immediately had scammers trying to sell the shirt from a screenshot of the graphic. The graphic was all distorted because my original picture was at an angle. No one believed me when I said the posts were spam
Auntie_Venom@reddit
That’s why I haven’t posted any of this shirts and stuff I make on Reddit (or any social media) that’s my own design. I have an Etsy shop and haven’t loaded it up either, because the amount of original work that gets stolen and posted elsewhere is staggering. It happens in shirts, quilts, crochet… I want to make money off my novel ideas not hand it over to those that really can by mass producing it as their own in other countries. So far I’ve sold most stuff by word of mouth, or by asking me where I got something then scrolling thru pics on my phone. I may strictly sell at fairs or online from my own site where it’s less likely to get ripped off.
SoftNeed@reddit
if I had a dollar for every scammer lurking in these threads, I could buy actual Xennial merch from a legit store like, who even falls for this anymore?
doodlezoey@reddit
I'm sure there are some of us out there that might fall for this, but in general I'd expect Xennials to be the least-likely group to fall for these sorts of scams. We mostly know what to look out for.
reillan@reddit
It's always:
OP posts a picture Someone in the comments says "where can I get this" OP provides a scam link.
It seems innocent enough, but every single person needs to train themselves to recognize it and avoid it (or report it)
ThePerfectSnare@reddit
I knew this guy in Oregon back in the 1900's. He was a real jerk who was always making fun of people and throwing around insults, but then he met the wrong one and died from dissin' Terry.
balding_git@reddit
Jadziyah@reddit
See these with T-shirts everrrrrrywhere and it's exactly the same thing. So tiresome.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
We deal with a lot of t-shirt posts too. 🤫
LittleLotteRae@reddit
We do have a tumbler that says this at Cracker Barrel, but it doesn’t have this image on it
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Yeah, the merch definitely does exist. We're just advising everyone to treat posts by rando spammers claiming to be selling said merch as suspicious.
SnooCookies6231@reddit
Another telltale sign is “I just bought mine and love it!”
ButterMyPancakesPlz@reddit
Melancholy_Rainbows@reddit
See these constantly in video game subs. AI pic of fake merchandise, a “helpful” bot with a sub one week account age asking where to buy it, and the OP bot responding to a link to an obvious scam site with a countdown until the fake merch is “gone forever” to instill a sense of urgency in the mark.
MTJ5@reddit
it easy to avoid all these if you just don't try buy anything from reddit, ads, or any similiar, if you want something, always go google it and look for safe sites
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
💯 percent. We've had a few folks pointing out that these products do exist, but that wasn't the point of this post.
MartinMerten@reddit
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Appreciate you!
Negative-Wrap95@reddit
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
And you as well!
stavago@reddit
JaxxisR@reddit
CorgiMonsoon@reddit
“None of my friends get it, but I hope my level of cool will be appreciated here”
Then they’ll reply with the sketchy link that’s embedded to start in the middle of a word
ailish@reddit
I have a sticker on my laptop with that saying on it. 🤷
forgetfulsue@reddit
You can easily search for it elsewhere and not through a link embedded here. But mugs and other things with that picture on it do exist.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
I mean, there's nothing wrong with the products themselves. We just advising against giving your money to some random spammer as a way of getting it.
ailish@reddit
I see, okay then.
braywarshawsky@reddit
I got this exact sticker from Red Bubble. Its on my Yeti cup.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
Right, we know the products actually exist. We're just advising against trying to buy them from random spammers dropping posts on Reddit.
heresmytwopence@reddit (OP)
No worries, friend. There was mener any suspicion about your comment.
JaxxisR@reddit
I'd have just assumed the link was a Rick roll