A simple mix-up cost an NFT collector $1 million this month when they accidentally sold a picture of a rock for next to nothing.
It would be easier to understand how someone unfamiliar with NFTs and cryptocurrency might accidentally lose hundreds of thousands, but Twitter user @dino_dealer looks to have been in the business for at least a year: "Just walking around the metaverse picking up rocks, Then dropping them," according to their bio.
It seems to have been during this process of 'dropping' one particular rock that the dealer made their costly mistake, which they shared on Twitter for all to see.
In the post, the Twitter user explained they accidentally listed the rock for '444 wei instead of 444 eth' in reference to the cryptocurrencies.
The drawing had been valued at 444 Ether (ETH), which is roughly equal to $1.2 million, meaning the seller had the potential to make some big money - if only he'd listed it correctly.
Unfortunately, the blunder meant that it actually sold to a bot for 444 Wei, which is worth about $0.0012.
Sharing their despair online, the collector wrote: "How's your week? Mine? I just erroneously listed @etherrock #44 for 444 wei instead of 444 eth. Bot sniped it in the same block and trying to flip for 234 eth. In one click my entire net worth of ~$1 million dollars, gone. Is there any hope?"
The comment about a bot having 'sniped' the rock refers to tools that snap up an online sale, after which there is no going back.
The Twitter user went on to address 'Crypto customer service', writing: "Hello. Can I make a reversal request?" Unfortunately, any attempts to seek help from members of the crypto community were met with responses from seemingly suspicious users quickly offering up email addresses and WhatsApp numbers.
Though it seems unlikely that @dino_dealer will be able to undo their mistake, their story proved entertaining and eye-opening for many people online and has racked up hundreds of likes and retweets since it was posted.
One person commented: "I wouldn't like to be in his shoes," while another offered advice to help others avoid making the same mistake, writing: "Always triple check your prices before posting. May also want to turn off auto-complete for the browser you use. Watch the zeroes and the periods."
After seeing his $1 million rock vanish before his eyes, I've no doubt the dealer will make sure to triple check their listings in the future.
Featured Image Credit: dino_dealer/Twitter/AlamyTopics: Viral, Cryptocurrency, Twitter, Technology, NFT