Posted By:
HankronFirst, I don't wish too much heat being heaped on Chris (Yes, I realized that's a mixed metaphor) for posting here. It appears as if may have helped opposed fraud without a buyer having to lose money. Chris deserves due credit for posting here.
In my opinion, much of the responsibility for the proliferation of forgeries rests with the buyers. The reason why forgers make money is because ignorant buyers are buying their forgeries. The reason why Libertyforall is selling all those cutouts is because people are buying all those cutous. If people would wise up and quit buying, he would be no longer selling. It's as simple as that.
Realize that most forgers are not trying attempting to fool Lew Lipset or Bill Mastro or even an avid collector who owns a Standard Catalogue. They're trying to sell them to the gullible and ignorant who think they're getting a steal.
As Adam pointed out, use your common sense. If a seller says, "I cannot authenticate, all sales are final," do not bid. If a seller is offering a T206 Honus Wagner for $2,000 because he says doesn't want to fork over $10 for a grading fee-- give me a break!
When buying expensive or problemantic items, know your seller. When you buy from quality sellers, everything else usually falls into place. Mistakes happen with everyone, but a quality seller will rectify a legitimate problem. It's in their best interest to have satisfied customers.
Find someone knowledgeable who can answer your questions. Sometimes a simple, "Does this look okay to you?" or "Do you know this seller?" will save you thousands of dollars or lead to great buys.
Have significant questions answered or satisfactorily adressed before you buy an expensive or problematic item. If you can't get them satisfactorily adressed, do not bid.
Never buy an expensive item impetuously. Even if authenticity is not an issue, you are more likely to pay too much.