‘Ciara & Connor’ have not been running a jewellers on Oliver Plunkett Street since 1978

09:54, 23 Jan 2026Updated 10:04, 23 Jan 2026

Ciara & Conor – AI generated images on a scam site(Image: )

On the face of it, it’s a charming story – a little Cork jewellers, run by a lovely couple called Ciara & Connor, who are selling off their stock at bargain prices as they look to retire to their little home in the sun. Or maybe one of them has died. They can’t seem to get their sob story straight.

When you look a little closer, there’s something off about the pictures of their store on Oliver Plunkett Street, the images of the couple with happy, smiling customers and the cute story about how they met as teenagers in Cork, bonded over their love of Jewellery and spent four decades running their little shop on Oliver Plunkett Street.

A quick search shows the images are all AI-generated, using readily available software and prompts like “Elderly lady showing jewellery in her shop.” In this case, an online image generator called Freepik has been used to create the pictures.

Oliver Plunkett Street does not look like the real thing. There is no full address and the buttons promising ‘100% secure payments’, delivery details and trust ratings do nothing, they are as fake as everything else about this site.

The deals on offer are, of course, too good to be true: chunky 18-carat gold necklaces reduced from €450 to €35, and bundles of jewellery going for ridiculously low prices. There’s a blurb that might catch out the unwary, saying: “At Ciara & Conor, we create jewellery that celebrates individuality, self-confidence, and the spirit of Ireland.

“Since 1978, we’ve been crafting jewellery that honours individuality, self-assurance, and the beauty of artisan craftsmanship. Inspired by our own story, we shape each piece with the care and attention that has always defined Ciara & Conor.”

However, on another page on the site – there’s a bit of script that appears to be there by mistake – implying that “Conor” has died and ‘Ciara’ is saying: “Unfortunately, I can’t keep going on my own anymore. There are only a few pieces left, each carrying a little bit of his spirit. I’m letting them go with up to 80% off so they can find a new home filled with love.”

The couple claim to be going since 1978 but as anybody who knows Oliver Plunkett Street well will know, there’s no such shop there – and their website was created a few months ago.

‘Ciara with happy customers on ‘Oliver Plunkett Street’ – another AI gen image promising bargains to be had(Image: )

This Ciara & Connor site is one of thousands of similar scam sites that are all over Facebook and other social media sites. There has been an explosion in their use since AI image generation went mainstream in 2025 and many of these sites, believed to be run by criminal gangs in China, use the exact same methods.

There will be pictures of often older ‘shop owners’, in Cork, Dublin, London or Edinburgh, with a story about them ‘going out of business’ or ‘retiring after many happy years’ and needing to sell off their stock at low, low prices!

They will promise quality goods, anything from leather bags and hand-knit clothing to jewellery and designer coats. But if unsuspecting people click and buy – the very best they can expect is the cheapest of cheap goods that even Temu and Shein wouldn’t ship. Damaged and worthless goods are mass-shipped from Warehouses in South Asia – or often not sent at all.

Any attempts to contact the sellers will either be blanked or answered with a reply along the lines of ‘We are sorry you are still waiting on your shipment – it will be with you shortly.” This is done to string out people long enough that they won’t try to cancel their purchase or report the site – not that this does much anyway as Google and other platforms require the bare minimum of verification before they will allow sites like this to advertise on their platforms. In many cases, the criminals behind these sites pay Google and other platforms to be on top for searches like “Jewellery deals” or ‘designer bag clearances’.

‘Ciara’ in her workshop in Cork – AI generated image on the website(Image: )

Consumer watchdogs like Which? have been issuing repeated warnings about these scammers – who in some cases steal the identity and images of real businesses and set up ‘mirror sites’ to trap with unsuspecting buyers.

The respected consumer guide Which? said the growing use of AI tools was making it possible for fraudsters to mislead the public on an “unprecedented” scale. It is a billion-dollar global industry with ads that target the unwary as they scroll on Facebook.

The warning is clear – be VERY careful when buying online via ads you see on Facebook and Google – and if a deal looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is.