As most bead collectors know, our hobby is full of wonder.....I wonder if I can afford that bead, I wonder if the bead is authentic, I wonder if the bead is repaired, I wonder if the bead is worth what I'm paying for it....Yes, it is a wonderful hobby! We learn about glass techniques, about stone cutting and drilling, about cultures and civilizations....we learn about history, geography and if we have to buy stuff we learn more about math! We soon see all types of diverse individuals with like minded pursuits, they can be competitors or allies or both! We learn new words and bits of foreign languages, we find similarities and differences in other cultures and peoples. All in all the path we chose can be an adventure worth taking! I love what I do and for the most part I love the people I meet along the path. I have some super friends that now span back over 30 years, friends I would have not made had it not been for the beads!
We also get connections over the years, some super connections and some we wish to avoid. As we get deeper into the hobby, we get offers from sellers that find us on forums or social media....some of them legit and others by people we should avoid at all costs!!!

The attached photo is an interaction between a potential seller and myself, the seller sought me out, I did not know him before the photo he sent me....I tried to test him when I saw his picture....remember the beads he is selling for $2,000
PS (I may sound a bit rude in my responses but there is a reason behind that)