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Swifty Scam: Taylor Swift Is Not Giving Away Le Creuset Cookware

Is Taylor Swift really giving away Le Creuset cookware? No, it’s a scam. Recently, the singer’s likeness has appeared in AI-generated advertisements promoting free giveaways of Le Creuset cookware. According…

Taylor Swift attends the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 07, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Is Taylor Swift really giving away Le Creuset cookware? No, it's a scam. Recently, the singer’s likeness has appeared in AI-generated advertisements promoting free giveaways of Le Creuset cookware. According to multiple outlets, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have had the ad appear in recent weeks.

The fake advertisements for the cookware brand use pieced-together clips of the singer with a synthesized version of her voice and images of Le Creuset Dutch ovens.

What is this fake ad saying?

"Hey y’all, it's Taylor Swift here," a fake advertisement featuring Swift's augmented voice begins. "Due to a packaging error, we can’t sell 3,000 Le Creuset cookware sets. So I'm giving them away to my loyal fans for free."

Then, the ad instructs people to click on a button and answer questions in order to receive the brand’s cookware. The false advertisement using Taylor Swift's voice included different ways that the creators of the fake ad used to legitimize the so-called giveaway. "Get in 10 days! Long waiting but anyway the set is great! Thank you guys!!" one account commented.

"Le Creuset is not involved with Taylor Swift for any consumer giveaway," a spokesperson for Le Creuset told NBC News. "All approved Le Creuset giveaways or promotions come from the official Le Creuset social accounts. Consumers should always check Le Creuset’s official social accounts and website before clicking on any suspicious ads."

Many people were quick to call out the scam. Some people even shared their experience of falling for the fake advertisement. "I paid the shipping, stupidly, and never received the cookware," one user commented. "Shame on me for falling for it. Don't do it!"

The NY Times reported that the Le Creuset scam campaign also featured fabricated versions of Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey. In 2022, Winfrey shared a video about the prevalence of fake social media ads, emails, and websites falsely claiming that she endorsed weight loss gummies.

A Meta spokesperson told TODAY.com that the ad has been removed from their platforms. Of course, with anything on the internet, does it truly go away? Check out the fake ad here.

Vintage Gadgets: Outdated Tech That Still Sparks Joy

Best Buy has announced that starting in 2024, following this holiday season, they will discontinue the sale of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Ultra HD discs, both in their physical stores and online. They have said the reason for this decision is due to the increasing popularity of streaming services.  This move aligns with the prevailing trend, as more people turn to streaming for their entertainment needs.

Physical Media

Physical media does come with certain inconveniences, such as taking up space and limited mobile accessibility. But there are still people who appreciate the more traditional way of enjoying movies and music. There are some advantages of owning Blu-rays and DVDs. These include owning what you buy and having bonus content you can't get anywhere else.

Pagers!

In the '90s, owning a pager was considered a status symbol and a fashion statement. Today, it's even possible to purchase a fully functional vintage Motorola pager from online marketplaces like eBay.

Outdated but not obsolete.

With the widespread use of mobile phones and free calling applications that offer unlimited calls via Wi-Fi, traditional landlines may eventually become obsolete. However, the complete phasing out of this technology may take some time. This is because certain regions or countries still contend with unreliable internet or cellular coverage. As of August 2023, Community Phone reports that approximately 40.35 million households in the United States still maintain landline phones, and 38.1 million households have both a landline and a cell phone.

For some people, "new" technology doesn’t always mean "better." On Reddit, a user started a discussion thread asking, “What outdated or obsolete tech are you still using and are perfectly happy with?” The thread received more than 16,000 responses from people who shared the outdated everyday items they still happily use. Check some of them out below.

A Physical Calculator

You probably haven't seen a calculator in ages, but a Reddit user chimed in to say that, for them, the old-school scientific calculator beats the one on your phone or any app. They simply put it like this, "Honestly, a standard scientific calculator is just easier to use than your phone's built-in scientific calculator." It could be the fun button-tapping sound or the nostalgic thrill of typing in cheeky words with numbers that makes this person prefer calculators.

Kanizphoto/ Getty Images

Watches That Only Tell The Time

Smartwatches may pack in loads of features, but there's a catch - they need regular charging and maintenance, and their battery life is shorter. On the flip side, traditional watches are a low-maintenance choice with longer battery life. In fact, a Redditor mentioned they still rock a "a lovely, inexpensive, bombproof, analog, big face Casio." They also pointed out that smartwatches aren't allowed at their job, so their trusty Casio gets the job done.

popovaphoto/ Getty Images

CD Player, MP3 Player, and Vinyl Albums

If you've put a ton of effort into collecting CDs and vinyl records, and creating some killer playlists, why ditch them, right? One person told their story about growing up in the '90s, building a massive CD collection, and stashing them all in one of those Case Logic CD binders. They fondly shared, "I still keep it with me in my car and it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane every time I open it. I laughed and cried a little when my kids friend asked me what it was and I said, 'CDs' and they followed up with, 'What’s that?'" But also: not everything is available on streaming services.  That obscure soundtrack or tribute album from the '80s? Licensing issues may have prevented it from hitting the streamers.  Love Joni Mitchell? Well, Spotify doesn't have her catalog. Sure, you can subscribe to another service, but if you kept your old vinyl and have a turntable, you can listen to it the old school way.

IngaNielsen/ Getty Images

"I Love Wires"

You have people who can't stand a tangle of wires in their tech setup, and then there's that Reddit user who's all about the wired life. They firmly believe that wired networking is "not obsolete or outdated." According to them, it's superior in every aspect, except for the mobility it lacks compared to wireless. They put it simply, "Wired is the ideal, you only go wireless if running cable is unfeasible for the situation.

Diana Sand/ Getty Images

A Regular Doorbell

A regular doorbell does its job well. It lets you know someone's at the door. On the other hand, a video doorbell does the same but with the perk of letting you see and hear the person at your door, even if you're not home. Someone mentioned they'd be up for a smart doorbell if it kept the data local. They said, "I don't want anything being sent online, so I might need to set up my own system... I'll just stick with the traditional kind."

eurobanks/ Getty Images

Physical Buttons

A Redditor shared their affection for good old physical buttons, arguing that not everything needs to go the touchscreen route. They stressed the importance of having car radios equipped with buttons rather than screens, believing it's a safer choice. They explained, "It’s easier for me to push a button to change the music while keeping my eyes on the road/ I can’t do that if my car has a screen. It increases distracted driving incidents."

Supersmario/ Getty Images
Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.