Update: be careful with some of the popular autograph collecting websites. Autograph Live: It's easy to post discussions with photos! Some of the most popular categories of autograph subjects are presidents, military soldiers, athletes, movie stars, artists, social and religious leaders, scientists, astronauts, and authors.. People seem to think he walks on water. If theyre selling on auction sites or online stores, check other items on their list of offerings. What seller is going to say no? To address this going forward, as of 2019, we have changed our COA policy to include fully illustrated letters of authenticity on ANY item we sell over $300.00 with matching tamper-proof holograms on the letter and item. One example of this would be a Harrison Ford autograph. For full details, read our policy below. We honor our promise. Plus, now the seller knows that you have no idea what you are doing and will enjoy taking advantage of such an easy target. I myself have a few Knicks players like (Walt Clyde Frazier) for one that was signed when I saw him at MSG. Although the FBI put more 60 people in jail a few years ago for dealing and distributing fake autographs, the dealers who sold on eBay all had excellent feedback records. Make sure the dealer has a return policy that they will stand behind. Many sellers of fake cast/band signed items would have you believe that celebrities are just lining up all day to sign their items but it simply is not true. Little or none of the inventory has been verified by thirdparty authenticators. However, COAs, LOAs, and grades are only as valuable as the reputation of the issuing party, so it's important to know the reputation of each authenticator or grader. Everything you need to know for your eBay business. The company was busted by the FBI for selling counterfeit celebrity and Hollywood memorabilia. 3 Comments If a customer couldn't tell an autograph was fake by looking at an online picture, he or she likely isn't going to recognize a forgery when it's received in the mail. An authentic Jimi Hendrix signature can easily fetch a whopping $9,000 and an authentic Marilyn Monroe autograph is at least $800. An Ebay seller has a group of items for sale and I know all of the items are authentic with the exception of an Obama signed card. Look for the ones that sell to benefit a (legit) charity. mistake on listing where item had a reserve price and it was not listed On occasion a seller here and there will list an authentic autograph for sale. Some preprints will still show up (just a few from sellers who try to trick buyers) but try a search with and without the string and see the difference. This can be checked online by looking at Google Maps, BBB, associations the business belongs to, Amazon, and eBay if the seller is active in those markets, as well as other business review sites. An authorized reproduction means a company has acquired the rights to accurately reproduce the original card, 1933 Babe Ruth (Goudey #53, #80, #144, and #181), 1966-1967 Bobby Orr rookie card (Topps #35), 1979-1980 Wayne Gretzky rookie card (O-Pee-Chee and Topps #18), 1986-1987 Michael Jordan rookie card (Fleer #57). May I have your autograph? You do get lucky at certain events and the entire cast or band is there and they all sign but that is the exception and not the rule. Thilak Siva BSc(Hons),LLM,MBA,MRICS,PMP,MCIArb,MAIQS, Eddie DeAngelis ~ Founder and CEO QualiFi, LLC "Our Vibe Attracts our Tribe". a guide to buy authentic autographs and avoiding the fake autographs on ebay. Many newer and inexperienced in-person autograph collectors are resorting to what are called White Sheets in order to obtain autographs when they are not prepared, simply do not know what they are doing, are cheap, just too lazy, or simply do not care about their customers. While I believe 95% of what was said and stated, there is still 5% of me thinking that several of these one offs or rare signatures could be real. Autograph Dealers Automobile Leasing Car Rental (2) Website. Court records from the U.S. Justice Department in Northern Alabama say Douglas Edward Duren sold primarily sports and movie items. Started by KaiMi. You can list the following trading cards only if they've been professionally graded by a reputable grading company - opens in new window or tab: Tip The nickname could be the name of an established business, in which case it is an identifiable seller. That means more than 6,600 of the 10,000 signatures PSA-DNA sampled were forgeries. EVER!!! over the years. Terms of Service. For full details, read our policy below. Cookie Notice It just should not be trusted as the sole reason to purchase from a seller. The collector has the celebrity sign the blank sheet of ink-jet paper (usually in a blue Sharpie as most other colors do not work well), then later, once they are home, they load the paper into their ink-jet printer and print an image of their choice onto the sheet and over the autograph. Facebook. I made a payment. But the FBI does not list these Phase 2 subjects on its website. A rejection does not in any way mean the dealer is bad or unreliable, but if this happens with many items it should raise your suspicions. It is hard to find consistency in the pricing of items that are unsold and still being offered on the internet. Another red flag that a seller is likely listing forgeries is use of the short duration auction. If they cannot provide provenance, it could be because the origin of the autograph is their workshop where forgeries are created. 0 Comments Listed in FBI documents; Missing from eBays Not Allowed list These companies which made millions producing and distributing forged memorabilia while creating phony paper to cover their tracks are not included eBays Not Allowed list, despite being identified in the FBI investigations. How about Charlize Theron, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, Mel Gibson, Salma Hayek, Megan Fox, Daniel Day Lewis, Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Aniston, Britney Spears, Clint Eastwood, Jim Carrey, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Bruce Willis, Russell Crowe, Jennifer Aniston, Keanu Reeves, Ryan Reynolds, Cate Blanchet, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Twilight Cast, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Lawrence, Jimmy Page, U2, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Bob Marley, Janet Jackson, Bob Dylan, Tool, Rihanna, Kanye West, or Jerry Garcia autographs just to name a few? A clear photo of the autographed item A clear photo of the COA or LOA, as well as the name of the person or company issuing the certificate Your refund policy If you're listing an authorized pre-printed autograph, they should generally be listed in the Autographs > Reprints category. No enlarged pics of the signatures. 10. If the dealer refuses to issue or show a COA, and instead goes on a rant about how useless this piece of paper is, you can be sure that this dealer isnt the real deal. Facebook Certificates given customers to build their confidence often are designed on personal computers by the scam artist. is anybody here familiar with the site "The full set" by Gary Huston from the UK? However, Reel Memories is not listed on eBays not allowed list, according to the authors investigation. Authentic autographs do not sell for $9.99 (obviously a dealer might throw some autographs up at that price once in awhile and there is one well known dealer that does this every week but that is the exception). If you insist on purchasing a non-3rd party certified item, make sure any COA has the sellers full name, address and all contact details including phone number. 15. 0 Likes, Hello again,anybody familiar with eBay seller usjpskipper?Here is the link:Continue, Started by Shawn K. Last reply by Shawn K Nov 14, 2021. Many of the Ali autographs, which were then authenticated by eBay sellers by GFA, come from South Florida dealer Tony Podsada, who runs a company called SCM. Ebay sellers with fake or questionable items for sale. Assistant Vice President Collections & Reporting CIT. I'm talking about on the purchase history page. So just be careful. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/ DNA are divisions of Collectors Universe, Inc. If you still insist on purchasing from these people YOU MUST ask them if the item you want to purchase is an ACTUAL PHOTO LAB DEVELOPED PHOTO. https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kelly_Johns/53863, 2023 EzineArticlesAll Rights Reserved Worldwide, The Benefits of Collecting Autographed Memorabilia. I live in the North East (NY Tri-State Area). If you see amazing items that are seriously underpriced compared to past prices of similar items, then there is a problem. If they cannot provide this information you need to move on to another seller. Unfortunately, eBay wants money so they allow this illegal junk to be listed (sadly, I see this junk on Amazon, eBid and Bonanza as well). All I have to do is go into any sports category on eBay and I can find at least one new seller per day selling fake autographs. An exception is a trusted dealer especially those that are AFTAL Approved Dealers. A seller should stand behind what they sell. Autograph collecting can be fun and rewarding for everyone if a few simple precautions are taken. But theyre not on eBays forbidden list. Very very sneaky. But there were plenty of other authenticators besides J. DiMaggio who came under investigation by the FBI. New episodes weekly! Whether youre a first-time collector or youve been collecting autographs for quite some time, the internet can get you good pieces to add to your collection. Autographlivemagazine.com has a wall of shame, but mostly focused on authenticators than on dealers, see more of the same about authentication companies attheautographplanet.com/3rd-party-authentication, where more is discussed about authentication companies. I returned item. Required fields are marked *. The seller may have good reasons for this, a personal opinion that is negative about a service should not be a reason to earn the title of fake seller. eBay is a prime place to sell fake autographs because they are easy to pass off as authentic. Lets do the math, a lab developed photo itself costs around $2.00. Fox 19 (Cincinnati, OH) news story on fake autograph sold at charity auctions. All they care about is getting your money. NEVER BID ON AUTOGRAPHED ITEMS FROM SELLERS WITH PRIVATE AUCTIONS! 0 Comments A few days after this article was posted on the blog, Johns says, a victim of the fraudulent seller explained, I thought I did my homework I read his feedback but the item I got didn't look anything like the item in the eBay auction. A real ink signature will actually be on top of the photo and will reflect differently than the rest the photo. Johns says dealers of fake items have an endless supply on hand and ship orders quickly to create the appearance of legitimacy. About us: (Starstruck Autographs Limited) With more than 20 years experience in the autograph industry 'Starstruck Autographs' have expanded from what was once a hobby into a full-time business. They might have many copies of the same autograph simply because dealers go to signings and take many copies of the same photo to get them all signed. We help business owners that are not getting much love from their local bank. They also offered the 1962 Jetfire and the legendary Oldsmobile 442. All my Andy Griffith Show buddiesd avoid anything they sell. Click the image above for the latest Announcements from eBay. This is mostly pertaining to eBay auctions. 2023 Active Interest Media All rights reserved. eBay is always looking for ways to improve the buying and selling experience. Item was "destroyed by UPS" because "arrived in damaged fashion at UPS." Simple as that. We are regular members of the UACC and Approved Dealer # AD123 of the AFTAL. However, you still need to do your research on each and every autograph you purchase no matter the source. The seller is an identifiable business or person. When you see an autograph for sale assume it's a forgery. Great article, and thanks for your insight. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including limits of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account. They are not selling under a nickname, such as those used on eBay. I have ZERO interest in it, but I want the other items. It seems like he has taken an awful lot of business away from PSA. 0 Likes, 2023 Created by Steve Cyrkin, Admin. There is absolutely NO REASON for private auctions other than to hide something nefarious. A Johnny Depp search example: johnny depp signed photo -rp -pp -reprint -preprint -print -rpnt -copy. Autographs. We need to be realistic here. About Search Results. The items were obvious forgeries but if they sell them, think of the profit they make. Just noticed this as I was about to make a bid on Ebay: http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/authentication.html#authentication, COAs and LOAs from anyone listed on theFBI's Operation Bullpenwebsite, MySpace !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Getting a shot of a celebrity signing the exact item is a nightmare. This isn't proof positive but it will help you gather some information that can help steer you in the right direction. Books and letters are more difficult but the process is basically the same. Kiss, Ace Frehley, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy . eBay bucks I been getting them for years now I don't get any? I wonder if there is way we (members on this site) can lobby Ebay to add GFA? Facts You Should Know Posted on January 28, 2022, Facsimile Autograph: How to Detect Printed Signatures Posted on December 17, 2021, Ultimate Autographs - 10 Things that Make a Signed Photo Perfect Posted on November 05, 2021, How to Protect your Autographs from Fading Posted on March 25, 2022, Maria Callas Authentic Autographs: A Guide Posted on October 27, 2020, Autograph Collecting 101: A Beginners Guide Posted on June 03, 2022, Historical Documents - A Window to the Past Posted on October 20, 2022, Damaged Photos: Guidelines to Types of Damage Posted on August 26, 2022, Autograph vs. Signature - What Is the Difference? Any other answer is the seller trying to avoid the question as they know what they are selling is junk that was printed on an ink-jet printer and will become worthless in a short amount of time. Part of the Ebay User Agreement. Automotive (eBay Motors) Books Business & Industrial Cameras & Photo Clothing, Shoes & Accessories Coins & Paper Money Collectibles Computers, Tablets & Networking Consumer Electronics Crafts Dolls & Bears Entertainment Memorabilla Gift Cards & Coupons Health & Beauty Home & Garden Jewelry Music Pottery & Glass Specialty Services Sporting Goods I think that would hold the same in many cities like signed Allen Iverson card or hat in Philly area, or a Dan Marino football in Miami etc. Sports Legends Memorabilia, American Memorabilia, Universal Engineering and Development Company. Sports Memorabilia Worth And Counterfeit Cards, Building an Authentic Sports Memorabilia Collection - How to Tell When It Is Worth Something, Autographed Sports Memorabilia - Tips On Getting Started, How To Spot Fake Autographs on eBay & Other Internet Sites, https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kelly_Johns/53863, http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Spot-Fake-Autographs-on-eBay-and-Other-Internet-Sites&id=425212. Make sure that theautograph isn't being described as a preprint, reprint or copy. With a ever growing reputable reputation in the industry we have 1000's of fabulous signed memorabilia including Sport, Music, Film, TV to the Rare & Notable to choose from. money and item. caesarneron (July 2017, Nero and Agrippina fake denarius, fake middle bronzes of Tiberius and Augustus, Fake denarius of Maximinus. Currently the Ebay approved 3rd party autograph authenticators are: JSA (James Spence). An oversight After making the original Operation Bullpen busts in late 1999, the FBI held a widely publicized press conference the next spring, in which it listed the perpetrators by name. I agree this was a great article. Will there be any in Q2? We applaud any group who furthers this hobby and the UACC, PADA, RACC and AFTAL are doing their part and no blatant forger will be able to join their ranks. Accordingly, here are the Top 10 Defunct Automotive Brands From the Last 20 years. I won a reciprocating saw yesterday and paid immediately after auction By signing up here, you are agreeing to receive periodic email updates, news and special promotional offers from Piece of the Past. Your email address will not be published. Why would I pay an additional $100 or more to have it authenticated? JUST IN CASE, LET ME REMIND YOU, NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER DO IT. I'm no fan of TPAs, but that guy knows how to market himself. More and more forgers are using proof photos to try and trick unsuspecting buyers. and Other Burning Autograph Questions Posted on March 19, 2021, Where to Sell Autographs: Things to Keep an Eye On Posted on April 07, 2021, Where to Buy Authentic Autographs Posted on February 19, 2021, Glossary of Autograph Terms Posted on December 10, 2020, Autograph Authentication: Where to Get Autographs Authenticatedand More Posted on March 12, 2021, Autograph Value - How to Find It and Other Autograph Worth Questions Posted on May 07, 2021, Old Photographs: The Evolution of Photographic Formats Posted on April 15, 2021, What Are the Factors that Determine Autograph Values? [CLICKABLE IMAGE]Booklet for the premiere of the film "Cleopatra" on Broadway at the Rivoli Theater, N.Y., on June 12th, 1963, signed by Richard Burton on the front cover, and Elizabeth Taylor and Rex Harrison in the internal pages. Do you have an autograph collection to sell? Powered by, Badges | The seller then sent an item to the buyer that was similar to the item in the stolen picture. purchased Jordan retro one shattered backboards from a seller on eBay. to see if anyone else has been posting information about them. Oldsmobile. While a real, reputable autograph dealer may fail in 1 or 2 of the above points, a fake one will fail in more. They seem to sell the same item over and over. Many in-person autograph collectors do not even bother to start cast/group signed pieces as the odds of finishing the pieces are so low that they prefer to focus their work on items that they can obtain and sell right away. Keep autograph purchases to a small group of quality reputable dealers! Place fillable areas, type text and sign it. Don't just accept what the item location says. Posted on July 29, 2022, The Ultimate Guide on How To Store Autographed Photos Posted on September 23, 2020, Autograph Framing Done Right - How to Frame Your Autographs Properly Posted on November 26, 2020, 14 Awesome Picture Frame Ideas for your Valuable Collectibles Posted on March 05, 2021, Picture Frame Glass Options for your Paper Collectibles Posted on April 23, 2021, Archival Framing: 10 Best Recommendations to Protect your Autographs Posted on June 01, 2021, Frame Shop Selection: Finding the Best Frame Shop for Your Autographs Posted on June 01, 2021, Photo Top Loaders - Safely Store your Collectible Autographs Posted on November 23, 2021. Unfortunately, ink-jet photos can start to fade very quickly (sometimes as quickly as a month) depending on the quality of the paper and what types of ink they used to print the photo. You may unsubscribe at any time. Technology Consultant- Computer Support | Legal Tech | Website Design. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit Facebook Messenger Autographs are not obtained that way and you would be surprised how many agents and managers become angered when you ask for an autograph in-person.