Thursday, July 30, 2009

Can We Ever Trust Buybacks Again?



Over the last few months, I have spent a lot of time discussing fake autos, fake patches, and all sorts of scams across this hobby. Lately the amount of certain types of fakes has nearly quadrupled, leading me to question every single part of every auto that makes it on eBay. Its tiring really.

One of the scams that has blown up recently has been the production of fake buybacks, mostly bad ones. Sellers take cards that are pretty much worthless unsigned, and sign them illegitamately themselves under the auspices that the card was re-purchased by the manufacturer and signed officially. The term for these cards is "buyback" because the company actually goes out and buys unsigned versions of old cards for signatures. They are pretty rare in most cases, unless you look at a product like Bowman Originals, a set comprised completely of buybacks.

The problem is, people have found ways to transfer stickers or cases that usually secure the cards as real. This has caused a boom in fakes, and even people who just dont care enough to do it the convincing way.

When it comes to any future buybacks, im pretty much going to say right now that this situation has prevented me from buying one ever again. Now that Rookie Premiere Autographs are ruined, as well as these, non-scam ridden card types are dropping like flies. Of course, because companies REFUSE to do anything to prevent it, and eBay makes tons of money off it, no one will ever force them to stop.

Hopefully, over the next few years, companies can find a way to make the cards tamperproof. However, when you see that people can fake slabs on PSA cards, its going to be really tough to figure out a way to stop the scammers. I say that educating the uneducated is the best answer, even though there are people out there who think that one shouldnt do anything until they are scammed themselves. As stupid as that sounds, these douchebags take advantage of every edge they can get. Give em an inch and they take a mile. Do you have any ideas?

4 comments:

  1. Gellman, Since the only time you have ever responded to me was when you let me know that your story on the Beckett/Panina United front story inluding Cleo! Went way over my head I thought about telling you to f off! Just kidding. I enjoy your sarcasm and brutal truth! That said, I will get you back : ) For what it's worth as someone who came back into the hobby just around 1 1/2 years ago after a break since 1982 as a young kid 7 years old! till around 1992. When we only had beckett and the local shops ( That was bad enough remember how much a damn Maguire Olympic card was valued at? the millions of over produced cards all to find out we were chasing cheaters except Griffey) this situation for me as far as EBAY scam auto's has gotten so out of control and the FU*** that are scamming everyone. My two cents is simple, I WILL not by an Auto period off of ebay if I do it would never exceed $20. Just like you said now the Fake auto's ( I'm sure Far exceed real auto's anymore if not soon and No one cares)Thus bringing down what your gonna get for a legit auto! Education is a great defense against this but it's a tall order! people will fall for it just for the simple fact that the appeal of getting an auto out weighs some peoples judgment. If Ebay can't and won't do anything about this My only answer is to no longer buy from ebay period! however for example I really want just one Griffey Auto badly and an Ichiro which as I'm sure you know has signed a lot less if the least auto's then any other Current MLB player and more so now all the sudden he's got a whole lotta auto's on ebay when I looked I fund so many fakes I gave up! How am I going to get those autos? my trust is gone Ebay, some shops, card shows, card companies! I'm weary of it all hence I'll never get that Griffey/Ichiro auto unless I pull it, Good luck with that! Keep up the good fight man you saved me from a posible fake auto about two weeks just by me reading a past post you put out there. Grant

    ReplyDelete
  2. The solution lies with the card companies. There is no way ebay can control this issue, nor is there any incentive for them to do so as it would affect their bottom line.

    Serial number all autos and patch autos on the front of the card. Scan the front of all of these cards. Create picture database. Sell subscriptions of this database to customers. I promise there is a way to do this where it would actually be profitable to the card companies.

    This would end scams and fakes instantly and would really allow for one of the big three to rise above the others. Customers would appreciate this and I would think that the profit that is made off the database subscriptions would be accompanied by an even larger one with regard to card sales.

    ReplyDelete
  3. all i can say is the one guy I went after to get shut down got shut down...here are the steps I took...

    1. Email the faked auto/patch card auction link to the company that made the card or file a claim with them. Simply ask if the card is real or fake.

    2. When the company says the card is indeed fake, take a screen shot of what the card company said.

    3. File a claim with Ebay on the fake auto/patch card. "the lingo when you do this on ebay makes it seem like you are the one that HAD to buy the card to file the claim" but you dont have to be the buyer just continue answering the ?'s is if you were the buyer.

    4. FINALLY you will get to a screen that allows you to type your complaint. Explain that you didnt win the item but you know the item was fake and you have proof...get an html link of the screen shot you took of what the card company said and post it in the complaint as proof.

    5. wait to get a responce from ebay

    **i also filed multiple fake auto's from the ebay seller to the card company asking them if they were fake, and they eventually said they would to go after them to help get them shut down.

    -hope this helps

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think that's great that you actually did something about it and it worked, but the seller who got their account shut down probably opened up a new account selling the same garbage the very same day he got banned.

    ReplyDelete