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January 20, 2026

Beware of online ads with elaborate backstories. They may not be from a real small business

  • There are simple steps shoppers can take to distinguish a legitimate small business from a suspicious one before clicking “buy."
    • By MAE ANDERSON
    AP Business Writer

    iStock image
    Some fraudsters have taken advantage of AI-generated images to create websites that have an aura of artisan authenticity.

    Melia & Co appears to be a small family-run business. The sweaters on its website feature a photo of a woman hand-knitting a Christmas design. The caption says that after decades of creating knitwear that tells “quiet stories of care and beauty,” she is closing her little studio and the pieces on offer are her last.


     
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