Copyright walesonline
When you bump into a celebrity in public, many people reach for their phones to take a selfie with them. But there are still those who prefer to mark the moment with an autograph, using whatever pen and paper they have to hand at the time. However, people from around the globe have spotted something 'odd' when they ask their favourite star to sign something for them, with one Reddit user commenting: "Why do some celebrities or public figures refuse to sign autographs for a fan? I've been looking at autograph collection sites, and public figures like Neil Armstrong stopped signing autographs once he realised that fans were simply auctioning them off at high prices. "If that is true, then he could simply sign and sell autographs for a living every day into his retirement because of how lucrative it is. "Or do some celebrities not sign autographs to keep their values high? How do they decide whether to sign for a fan or not?". Following the question, it emerged that most celebrities refuse to sign in blue ink for a straightforward security reason - to prevent their signatures from being easily forged and sold as genuine memorabilia. Blue ink can be scanned and reproduced, allowing the creation of counterfeit autographs that are difficult to distinguish from authentic ones. For this reason, celebrities will flatly refuse to sign using blue ink as their signature is regarded as a form of currency. This also stops fraudsters from turning counterfeit autographs into a business, which ultimately leaves their fans disappointed and out of pocket. One user commented on the post: "Armstrong wanted to give his autograph to people that wanted it. But instead they were being sold." Another user chimed in: "You're missing the point, the celebrity isn't selling autographs, people go to the celebrity, ask for one (for free), and then immediately go and sell it, which is insulting, distasteful, and to some degree fraudulent." A third user expressed: "I feel like it is probably often a challenge for celebs to balance having a positive relationship with their fans and also trying to lead somewhat normal lives. "Like, sometimes you just need to get to/from the shop in a short amount of time. "I bet it's tough to start signing/taking pics and then calling it quits before pleasing everyone. Maybe sometimes it's just easier to not start." Yet another user added: "The issue here is that if the people you sign for simply resell is that you get p***ed off as people aren't really appreciative of your accomplishments and just in it for the money. "And your real fans get ripped off while the aforementioned people profit off of it."
