I HAVE COLLECTED ABOUT HALF A DOZEN OR SO AUTOGRAPHS OF CELEBRITIES ON EBAY IN THE PAST 24 MONTHS AND HAVE STUDIED HUNDREDS MORE THAT HAVE BEEN UP FOR AUCTION ON EBAY.

I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT ONE POTENTIAL SIGN OF A FAKE AUTOGRAPH IS WHEN YOU SEE A PHOTOGRAPH OF A MOVIE STAR OR OTHER CELEBRITY FOR AUCTION THAT HAS AN AUTOGRAPH IN A SHADED OR DARK AREA OF THE PHOTOGRAPH ITSELF.

THESE SUPPOSED AUTOGRAPHS MAY BE 'SIGNED' IN ONE CORNER OF A STAR'S PHOTO WHERE THERE WERE MORE SHADOWS THAN LIGHT, OR THE SIGNATURE COULD HAVE BEEN SIGNED OVER SOMETHING DARK COLORED THAT THE CELEBRITY WAS WEARING AT THE TIME, LIKE A HAT, DRESS, SUIT OR OTHER DARK CLOTHING.

WHY WOULD ANY FAMOUS CELEBRITY SIGN THEIR NAME IN A DARKENED AREA OF THEIR PHOTO WHEN THEY COULD HAVE SIMPLY SIGNED THEIR NAME IN A LIGHTER AREA OF THE PHOTO WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR MUCH MORE VISABILITY SO THE AUTOGRAPH COULD BE SEEN BETTER?    

I BELIEVE HOAXERS WHO FRAUDULANTLY SELL FAKE AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS OF STARS PURPOSELY SIGN THE STARS' AUTOGRAPHS IN THE DARKENED AREAS OF PHOTOS SO THAT SCRUTINY OF THE AUTOGRAPH'S LEGITIMACY WOULD BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. EVEN UNDER A MAGNIFYING GLASS.

BEWARE OF THOSE KIND OF AUTOGRAPHS. IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN OBVIOUS HOAX. CELEBRITIES, IN A WAY, FEED THEIR OWN EGOS BY SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS FOR FANS. THEY KNOW THAT THE FANS WILL SHOW OFF THE AUTOGRAPHS TO THEIR FRIENDS & FAMILY.

IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THE CELEBRITIES WOULD WANT TO SIGN THEIR NAMES IN A PART OF THE PHOTO WHERE THE SIGNATURES COULD BE BEST VIEWED. I LEARNED THE HARD WAY, SO TAKE IT FROM ME. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY & TIME IN PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS WORTHLESS. 

THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT PHOTOS THAT HAVE AUTOGRAPHS WHICH CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN ARE ALL LEGITMATE EITHER. THINK TWICE IN ANY CASE.  THERE ARE FULL TIME HOAXERS OUT THERE WHO GET AWAY WITH THIS TYPE OF FRAUD EVERY DAY.  

99 % OF THE HOAXERS ARE NEVER ARRESTED OR FINED, SO THEY KEEP DOING IT. EBAY IS FILLED WITH THEM. YOU CAN'T EVEN TRUST CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY THAT OCCASIONALLY COME WITH THESE SO CALLED AUTOGRAPHS. DON'T GET  REELED IN LIKE A FISH.