28/05/2026
⛔️ An important reminder from North Yorkshire Council about AI-generated scam websites pretending to be genuine UK retailers!
At Mocha, it’s important we protect our online customers & isn’t just about clicking “add to basket”
It’s about:
🤎 Knowing there’s a real small business behind our posts
🤎 Our Social Media manager hates AI generated posters & text!
🤎 Always go to our website https://www.mochachocolateshop.co.uk even better come and visit us in person
When you shop local and visit physical independents, you’re not only supporting your local high street - you’re also giving yourself a much safer and more personal shopping experience.
Please be careful when shopping online:
✔️ Check reviews carefully
✔️ Verify contact details
✔️ Be wary of brand-new pages/websites
✔️ If something feels too good to be true… it probably is
Thank you for continuing to support small independent businesses like ours 🤎
We're warning residents about AI‑generated scam websites after a growing number of complaints from people who believed they were buying from legitimate UK businesses after seeing photographs of supposed physical shops and happy customers.
In reality, the images and website text are AI‑generated and the goods are being sold by overseas traders, primarily based in China.
Before you buy, take a moment to check:
- Contact details: if they are missing or cannot be verified, do not proceed
- Shopfront images: compare them with online street maps
- Reviews: read reviews carefully
- Account age: scam sites and social media pages are often newly created
- Company claims: if a business claims to be a limited company, verify on https://gov.uk/
To read more, visit: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/news/2026/increase-shoppers-being-duped-ai-high-street-scams