The one thing that has to stop is the Shelly Jaffe bashing. He was a small fish in all of it, he got in trouble, did his time and while others are surely still involved in one way or another in betraying more victims, or even simply being silent, Shelly is no longer associated with his past and has become quite vocal about the current state of this business.
Who better to know how these crooks operate than a one-time member of that familiar world. After all, Frank Abagande whose life was depicted in the movie "Catch Me If You Can" was one of the biggest document and check forgers, and after twelve years of imprisonment, he now owns a successful business that helps detect forgeries. There is no difference to what Frank does and what Shelly is doing. He knows what you guys are doing and that just pisses you off, doesn't it?
The one comment that I found amusing is the "didn't get caught" theory. The hobby is absolutely littered with fraudulent characters who have never been caught, will never get caught, have been caught or are soon to be caught.
If you take a piece of paper and forge Babe Ruth's name on it, YOU ARE A CRIMINAL!, whether you get caught or not...Title 18, statute 1341, Mail Fraud (as well as Wire Fraud)--profitting off false pretences...and along those same lines you have Wire Fraud and counts which involve perpetrating a scheme and using the U.S Mail service to assist in the distribution of fraudulent goods. The tough part for the law is proving that you are a thief, not an idiot...in regards to you "knowingly" selling bogus merchandise. If you are knowingly selling fraudulent goods, YOU ARE A CRIMINAL!
Oh, when the Morales thread was running strong, I was harrassed by this one e-mailer and now he has returned to harrass me. Hmmmm...
Lastly, how many people on this thread come from the wonderful state of PA?
Show of hands please !!!!!!!!