Bought a 'rare' variegated monstera cutting online for $150. Total scam.

Saw this ad on a plant swap group. Seller swore it was a true Thai Constellation. Had photos and everything. Got it in the mail last week. Was just a regular monstera with some paint or something on the leaves. The white parts started flaking off when I touched them. Felt so dumb. Lost the whole $150 plus shipping. Checked the seller's profile after and it was gone. Anyone know a legit place to get real variegated cuttings? Or how to spot fakes before buying?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthew1223mo ago

Always ask for a video call to see the plant moving. A photo can be faked too easy. They should be able to show you the stem and nodes up close in real time. Real variegation won't look painted on. The pattern comes from inside the leaf. If they refuse a quick live video, that's a huge red flag. Stick to sellers with long histories on the platform. Even then, check their past sales for reviews.

allen.cole3mo ago

Video calls can be faked too with pre-recorded footage. You need to see them physically touch the leaf and rub it.

william_taylor2mo ago

Right, well, I'm about as coordinated as a cat on roller skates, so if someone asked me to rub a leaf on a video call I'd probably just knock the whole plant over. In my experience though, a seller who's truly got the goods is usually happy to do a quick live look, even if it's just a 30 second clip. Your mileage may vary, but I've had people just point the camera at the plant and jiggle it around, and you can kind of tell from the way the light hits the different colors if it's real or not.