Posted By:
Adam J. BaxterI'm not sure longwindedly is a word, but it sounds smart! 
I used to have a lot more sympathy myself for inexperienced buyers, but I have to agree with you Scott that my patience for ignorance is running out. Even though I haven't had the years in that some members of this board have for vintage material, I have been very fortunate thus far, in that I haven't yet been duped on a vintage card on ebay. Part of it definitely has to do with luck (everybody gets zapped eventually) and the other has everything to do with research. One of the reasons that I have yet to purchase an OJ reprint or a Cracker Jack card thats shinier then a mirror, is because I read constantly about these issues and I take the time to listen to the opinions and thoughts of more experienced collectors. In my opinion, there's no excuse for getting involved in any hobby blindly, especially when money is involved.
I think one of the reasons that so many of the scammers are popping up lately is due to the fact that many new collectors of sportscards or those with little experience in collecting vintage material, are jumping into it half-assed for all the wrong reasons or simply don't care about researching the items that they're buying. I don't really collect these cards for investment, although I know a lot of people who do. To me it's just an issue of consumer ignorance.
Long story short, if you warn people about private auctions, Roy Huff cut-outs, and the physical traits of a fake or altered card and they still buy it, then maybe they do deserve to get burned.