Category Archives: donkey rapers

Report or Ignore?

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Ever since Rob and I have reported on the newest ridicu-scam, I have seen a few naysayers that are telling me that the report should be removed due to copycats. Mario even posted on the fact that he has received a lot of people reaching his website due to his anti-pack searching posts, looking to find out how to do it. I will say this, there are SOME people out there looking for ideas on scams, but there are ten times as many looking for info on the hobby. That bigger portion of collectors are people who want the info we have provided to avoid a cruel fate. That is why this is important.

However, the perspective on Mario’s post is a little off in my opinion. There is a huge difference between pack searching and deliberately faking an autograph so that you can make money. I have reported numerous times on pack searching as a completely unethical practice, but the people responsible are only taking advantage of retail outlets who have better things to do with their time. Really, when you think about it, its not illegal, just unethical. The people who take out the hits and RE-SEAL the packs, that is a completely different situation.

As for the fake autos, those are completely wrong in every sense of the word. You are fraudulently selling an item as real, leading to people that are getting something not at all what they were expecting. Pack searchers are a little different because the people who buy the non-resealed hot packs are getting exactly what they are expecting.

Of course, the above is just semantics, but it really needed to be addressed for perspective sake. As for the inform versus ignore, that is the real issue here. Most of the commenters on the posts seem to agree that informing people to avoid the scam is worth the few people who use it for the scam, mainly because the scammers will find a way with or without these posts. Not only do they find ways, but most of the time, they figure it out themselves. Look at the fake patch industry, its the same thing. We all know how to do it, but only a select few are douchey enough to try wrecking patch cards for fakes.

Guys, posting on this is not going to create enough fakers to make a difference. Its the people that make the decision, they will find the means regardless. Besides, we don’t really reach THAT many people anyways.

The Fake Autos Have Been Around Longer Than Once Expected…

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After receiving some talk on message boards after being posted here and on VOTC, a few people have chimed in and given their history with this scam.

Here is an auction of an Adrian Peterson Gold Refractor “Autograph” that sold for 310 dollars. Wow. Notice, this auction has both front and back pics.

First off, for the casual collector, the following things would be pretty tough to spot – especially on one that is done like this. First is the auto, as it is very, very off from the normal autos. The 28 is written wrong, the crossing “T” is done incorrectly. Secondly, on the normal bowman chrome autos, there is a printing break a little above the top of the sticker. Its like the ghost line from the year before. This is refractor all the way through. Lastly is the spot just below the 8 in the sig, its not supposed to be there. Its most likely a problem from the sticker transfer.

Let’s look a little closer:


(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Other than the mentioned imperfections, its not any different from a normal auto. That’s what is so scary. The normal auto language is not there on the back, because these cards NEVER had it. Apply the sticker and apply the cert sticker on the back, and it looks real.

One of the board members on TCC also posted this list of people who are known to fake the stickers.

unknownquarterback7
borninouterspace
bigboydsportscards3
dmarcus8
exquisite-baybuys
cardboardgems1
cardcontractor
onlytherare
supercollectibles77
elkridgesportscards (new)
t.well(new)

Trust me, this has been submitted to eBay by numerous people, numerous times, and there has been ZERO correction or discipline. Its going to get much worse before it gets better.

How Are The Fake Stickers Done?

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From JustinD:


Gellman, 

Any common rubbing alcohol will remove Sharpie. A calm hand with a q-tip of rubbing alcohol (99% will work best and evaporate quickly before clouding the sticker) should clean up a sticker logo with no damage. You should also be able to peel it up nicely with a thin razor (the old paper thin two sided refill kind your grandpa used).

My worry is also elsewhere in elkridgesportscards listings. As you can easily see the sticker autos are faked. However they are also listing several fake logo patches, which means they are moving forward in scamming. The worry for me is that all of the buyback autos they have listed look fake too. I think they are peeling topps holos and sticking them on base cards and signing them. All those autos look off, and the topps seals on the holders look strange. I think it is another step in the fakery for elkridge.

Thanks,
JustinD

Thanks Justin, hopefully this post will not be used for evil. 

NOTE: Justin is not the person selling these cards.
NOTE 2: See the video from Rob at VOTC. For the record, its Gellman with a G like Golf, haha.

More Updates On The Growing Epidemic Of Fake Auto Stickers

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Looks like fake stickers are going to be the newest scam to hit the market. Yet, as expected, the people who perpetuate the scam are about as stupid as the clueless idiots that bid on this stuff. Thanks to my new favorite eBay spotter, ewensel, we now have cards that are so obviously fake that im surprised people are bidding.

Here we have a 2007 LCM Brady Quinn Freshman Fabrics card numbered to some gross number over 600. What the bidders dont know is that this card ALWAYS contained one jersey swatch and ZERO autos. When they get this card, turn it over and see the huge number its paralleled to, Im hoping they will maybe be tipped off.

First off, the auto is definitely fake. Quinn’s auto looks similar, but not even close. Secondly, the card is known to have NO auto parallels, and there is no back scan of the card. Obviously when you see the language on the back of the card there is no auto mentioned. Thirdly, the language from the auction says that “Card is autographed on an official Donruss/Playoff Autograph Sticker!!” Why would you need to say that? Obviously not real. Lastly, its a private auction, always a red flag.

I have two theories about how this happened. Either someone stole sheets of unsigned stickers from the company at an event or signing, or they are taking old stickers off crap cards and rubbing off the auto. Since most of the stickers are signed in permanent black pen, there has to be a catch I am missing.

Basically, if the card doesnt look right from now on, DO NOT BID. Cover your ass and dont be an idiot. Looks like hot packs have gone the way of the dodo, this is the new scam no doubt. I may stop covering it to prevent people from getting ideas.

NOTE: If someone has a crap Topps or Donini auto they can spare, please try to get the auto off the sticker and tell me what happens. Nail polish remover, acetone, paint thinner, do it all. Ill post the results here.

Unopened Wax Packs Banned By Ebay?

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Per new policy, unopened and ungraded wax packs are no longer allowed to be listed on eBay. Thank god. I guess after the massive amounts of pre-searched and resealed wax, eBay has decided it would be best to stop that from happening. So far, this is only for true WAX packs, which is like plugging a hole in the bottom of the sinking ship, so its not the complete ban on single packs altogether that should be enforced. However, with so many one hit per pack products out there, that would be pretty tough.

Of course, this is only ONE of the thousands of scams out there in the sports card section of eBay, but at least its a start. I hope this continues and is not reversed by the douchebags out there who make their poor man’s living off this shit. 
At least the people who buy the opened wrappers of 1986 Fleer Basketball and insert 15 commons instead of that possible Jordan RC they advertise, wont be able to continue scamming. 
One scam down, one million to go.