Editor’s Note
This article highlights a curious trend on Vinted, where users are posting fake listings for jewelry supposedly stolen from the Louvre. While clearly satirical, these ads underscore the platform’s ongoing challenges with authenticity and user creativity.
On Vinted, you can find everything. Even jewelry stolen from the Louvre. For several days, the peer-to-peer resale platform has been flooded with fake listings featuring the museum’s missing treasures. Crowns and necklaces from a bygone era are displayed at absurd prices, sometimes accompanied by whimsical descriptions. “New without tag,” selling price of 30,000 euros… On Vinted, fake ads for buying stolen Louvre jewelry are multiplying. Among these posts, a crown attributed to Empress Eugénie and an emerald parure gifted by Napoleon to Marie-Louise are among the “bargains” offered by fake sellers. Imperial jewelry for sale on Vinted? The imagination of internet users seems limitless. Some claim to have found “jewelry found in a trash can near the Louvre,” while others say they inherited them from their “Aunt Eugénie.” The visuals, often absurd, sometimes show personalities like Emmanuel Macron adorned with an emerald necklace or a royal tiara. Between dark humor and satire, these viral montages have circulated widely on social media, prompting Vinted to intervene.
Alerted by the proliferation of these dubious offers, the platform confirmed it has taken swift action. Contacted by several media outlets, Vinted France stated:
Since then, typing “Louvre” or “Louvre jewelry” into the search bar yields far fewer results than a few hours ago. Proof that the company has reacted effectively to this curious hijacking of current events.