There have been suspicions / allegations in the past that on a certain forum / forums there is collusion between individuals who post faked items for sale & moderators who then endorse them as genuine.
I got mixed up in a situation a few years ago, I asked a question in all innocence about an item for sale & was then savaged on the forum by a number of people - personal insults & threats while moderators ignored my appeals to take people to task for failing to comply with "the rules" by not answering the question & for their behaviour.
Quite a little feeding frenzy, like a pack of rats having a go at me.
The trouble had arisen because of insinuations on a forum which I did'nt belong to that there were dodgy dealings involving this particular seller & a moderator, so their assumption was that I was some kind of agent provocateur from the enemie's camp & deliberately stirring the pot.
Unlike other members of that forum who sent me emails congratulating me on making a stand (unwittingly & about something I did'nt know a lot about) & stating that they did'nt use the PM system because they feared that their messages would be read by moderators & they'd be booted out), I had no hesitation in "leaving" - I moved on to a far better place, a forum which is far more civilised & with members who are'nt as focused on the money involved in our hobby. I keep my membership up at the old place but only visit about twice a year - there are thoroughly decent & very knowledgable people there.
My experience (those alarming words - "let me give you the benefit of my experience") is that it's the WWII German stuff that tends to get the nastiest reaction from those who consider themselves "expert" in the field or blindly support those who they consider are the experts.
Could be this dealer is thinking of those kind of faker / moderator collusions.
On the subject of this particular dealer I've bought a few things from him in the past & for what it's worth, no problems.
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