There are countless people and businesses that have autographs for sale right now. Obviously, many of these are just scams as they try to take advantage of people. However, there are also many that are completely legit. The problem is that even those that are legit are in it for the money. This means you can so easily be taken advantage of.
Keep in mind the fact that most autographs for sale online are just autopen signatures. This means they are produced by a pen that is controlled by computers. Their goal is to replicate real autographs. In other cases, you might also be faced with a classic forger attempt performed by a human that is skilled at copying the autograph of a celebrity.
If you want to be safe, here are some things that you should know.
Ask For A Certificate Of Authenticity
Always ask for proof of authenticity. That proof needs to come from a service that is highly respected around the world. The sellers that have items authenticated by the BAS, DNA/PSA or REAL have to be trusted and respected.
You should never spend money when you are not 100% sure that the autograph is legit. In the event that the seller is not willing to have the autograph checked by a specialist, it is a clear sign that you have to look for something else. You are almost surely faced with a fake in such a scenario.
Always Do Your Research
One of the easiest ways in which scammers take advantage of you is through compelling storytelling. They will try to compel you with a sense of urgency and a story that sounds incredible. In addition, fake autograph sellers tend to offer LOA or COA coming from a start-up, unknown authenticator. That third party receives a fee to authenticate an item and often offers false certificates.
There are countless authenticators that have a really questionable reputation. Most of the work they do is unethical. Because of this, you want to conduct a really thorough research. The goal is always to find out all you can about the authenticator so you are confident in the service offered.
Using Common Sense
This is basically one of the very best ways in which you can protect yourself. Unfortunately, a very common reason why people lose money on fake autographs is that they fall for really complex and incredible stories.
The big rule that will help is common in everything we do in life. In the event that an autograph deal sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. For instance, if you see that you get an autograph that is sold for $500 and features all the signatures of the Beatles, you are surely in front of a fake since the price tag is much lower than it should be.
Most autographs are very scarce. This includes autographs of huge personalities like Elvis Presley, John Bonham or Freddie Mercury. Use common sense and if you find a really rare autograph that is available for a very low price, you absolutely need to have it checked by a reputable authenticator.
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