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Scammers can publish photorealistic fossil images of specimens that do not exist, then demand payment in advance. Use these checks before you send money or leave the platform.
Fabricated fossil images often look too perfect. Real fossils show wear, sediment staining, asymmetric features, and minor imperfections. Uniform texture, flawless surfaces, and unnaturally consistent color are warning signs.
Look for light sources that don’t match across the image, shadows pointing in inconsistent directions, or highlights that appear where they shouldn’t. Real photos have consistent lighting.
Teeth, sockets, and matrix contacts that look slightly melted or blurred under zoom are common in synthetic images. Compare against known genuine reference photos of the claimed species.
Check whether teeth fit the jaw, claws fit the hand, and bone dimensions are physically possible for the stated species. Fabricated images can look plausible without matching real anatomy.
Real photographs often carry camera metadata. Missing metadata alone isn’t proof of fraud, but combined with other red flags it matters. Some fakes now include fabricated metadata — check consistency.
If an image carries verified content credentials showing a generator origin, treat it as illustration — not a specimen for sale. Absence of credentials is not proof of authenticity either.
Scammers often post one glamorous angle and refuse underside, root, scale-bar, or video proof. Legitimate sellers can usually add verification angles quickly.
Fake photos often pair with unrealistically low prices — museum-grade claims at garage-sale numbers. If the price seems impossible, the photos may be too.
Ask for a photo with a handwritten note showing today’s date and your username next to the fossil. A real seller can usually do this fast. A scammer stalls or disappears.