Wasted $60 on a "rare" monstera from a Facebook seller in Tampa, it was just a regular deliciosa
Drove 40 minutes to meet her and paid cash before I really looked at the leaf shape. Now I check the stem nodes and ask for a photo of the mother plant, how do you all vet sellers before handing over money?
That really stings, especially after a 40 minute drive and paying cash up front. I got burned the same way last year with a "variegated" pothos that turned out to be a plain golden, so now I ask for a photo of the mother plant and a close up of the node before I even agree to meet. If a seller gets weird about sending extra pics, that tells me plenty. Also, paying through something with buyer protection has saved me more than once, cash only is a red flag for me now.