Gotta say I agree as someone who has only been collecting for a year or so now (being only 23 and listening to the rare soul for about three years). Its fine when you are buying off respected dealers, but its all the ebay buys and going through boxes in record shops where this bootleg problem gets frustrating. I was stung with a Mickie Champion 'second issue' blag........not the fault of the seller, though, he genuinely believed that to be true.
Its the non obvious boots that do the inexperienced collectors head in....and like the previous poster said, it can be embarrassing when you have to ask.
And its always Pete Smith I end up emailing or ringing Roger B! Lifesavers!