Fake Luxembourg brand: how Jean Weis is trying to deceive customers

Luxembourg's social media is filled with publicity buzz around a new brand of handmade leather goods under the name Jean Weis. The seller claims to have been producing backpacks since 1998, emphasises local production and promises a "final sale" before the shop's supposedly imminent closure. However, a close inspection reveals that almost everything the seller claims is fiction.

Jean Weis's profile did not appear on Facebook until 13 July 2025, and this is the first time it has been published. No trace of the "artisan" has been found before this date. The site is riddled with grammatical errors and strange phrases in Luxembourgish, typical of automatic translations.

Moreover, the photos of the products appeared to be either generated by artificial intelligence or taken from stockists. Some images have nothing to do with backpacks at all, while others have been online for more than 10 years. There are no unique details in the photos themselves that prove authorship or localised production. The image of Jean Weis himself, used as an avatar, is also recognised as the result of AI generation, as concluded by the Sight Engine tool.

The main argument against: the Jean Weis-branded backpacks are completely identical to the mass-produced goods of Chinese manufacturer GAOHONGMEI, available on Amazon at prices half the price of the Jean Weis "sale".

Buyers should be wary: all signs point to a typical fraudulent scheme. The legend of a workshop with a history, a rush sale and a visual fake are common tricks used to make a quick buck. Experts recommend reporting such profiles on Facebook and through the cybersecurity platform Bee Secure.