Posted By:
HankronI think that having an outside group review a picture of a card is problematic, though many fakes or scams are obvious at mere sight. Realize that many scams are simply stolen images of genuine cards and PSA or whoever would say "Looks good to me." Also, as an 'authenticator', you had better have lots of insurance if you plan on removing a seller's lots by just looking at some pictures.
I beleive there should be policing (including by sites like this, which does policing one thousand times better than any grading company or hobby publication or big auction house), but in the end the collectors should educate themselves. If a collector doesn't know the difference between PRO an PSA, NASA and SGC, that's his personal issue not anyone else's.
One reason that I am setting up my resources site (something should be up in about a week), is so there is a central location for useful information. The other is so there are no more excuses for bidders who pay $200 for a 'paper stock cutout with partial ad on back' Joe Jackson.