There Is A Thief and a Sucker Born Every Minute and they always find ebay

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Posted By: Richard S. Simon

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=53&item=160231189279

that infamous estate sale find,,, geez are there that many stupid people out there?
--

I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.
Unknown author
--
We made a promise. We swore we'd always remember.
No retreat baby, no surrender.
The Boss

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Posted By: Mark

14 Bids on that? Seller has 1 (one) feedback?

ANYBODY (age 8 and above) could create a forgery at least that good or better. Why does ebay terminate some auctions, and allow others (like this) to run their full course?

Pathetic...

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Posted By: Brock G.

I was thinking the same thing Mark. I tried listing a Cal Ripken Jr auto'd 8X10 a few months ago that was 100% legit and it got shut down within an hour and somehow this fake runs its course. I dont get it.

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Man, that's some expensive toilet paper. I think I'll stick to the regular kind that's sold in roll form; my posterior needs more coverage than the mere sliver offered in that forum.

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Posted By: Zinn

Re: Cal Ripkin, Jr.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/message/1201893556/Cap+Ripken+Being+Pulled+Off+eBay

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Posted By: Brock G.

Zinn, thanks for posting that. I guess I am not the first to have that happen.

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Posted By: Mark

Brock...

That is disturbing, how ebay pulls the authentic Ripken items. I don't know how he/his people have the power to control what ebay sells, but there is obviously some sort of agreement in place.

Regarding this Jackie Robinson signature (which is trash), it is a different scenario. Often, ebay will terminate an auction in which an autograph looks suspect. I have been "watching" many of these auctions, only to see them disappear (when going into "My Ebay"). Lots of fake Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle and even Koufax pieces listed on Ebay get pulled, as they do have some sort of "watch dog" agency in place.

But when a piece like this Robinson cut makes it all the way through, it makes me wonder whether Ebay thought it was ok, or if somebody just missed it. It seems very random, how some of these laughable pieces make it through to the end.

If anyone else on the Board knows of ebay's specific policy or procedure for removing fake autographs.... please advise! Does Ebay employ PSA or Spence (or even Rick Gizmo?) Or do they have an "authentication guru" of their own making these decisions? To me, the whole thing seems very "hit and miss", to coin a baseball cliche.

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Yes, eBay does use at least two people that I know of to help them spot the bad items. I am one of those people (although it's only on occasion that I contribute my opinions). The other fellow is well-known and well-respected. I'm not sure it is in my place to reveal who it is, but he's a good guy. No guessing games, please. eBay employs a fellow to handle these matters, and he in fact also monitors this forum from time to time. He's a very nice fellow.

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Posted By: Mark Steinberg

Good to know, Jodi...

Well, I guess the Jackie Robinson "toilet paper" managed to sneak through without being spotted (for lack of a better term!) I am sure that the authenticator Ebay uses would have "flushed" this one, had he seen it in time.

One more question for Jodi... I have seen Ebay terminate (void) an auction AFTER the auction has already ended. But I have never been sure as to why those auctions were voided (as Ebay never states a reason). Would something like this Robinson piece be subject to termination (and the sale voided) even if ebay discovered it a bit too late (ie. just after the auction ended?) Accolades to them, if so...

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

I believe you have nailed it. They do their best to prevent people from being defrauded, but I'm sure that the man who they have on this has to deal with other collectibles as well. I don't know that for a fact, but figure it's a pretty safe bet. Neither the other person I mentioned or myself actually sits patrolling each listing for hours on end, but problems are mentioned if they come under our radar.

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Posted By: Richard S. Simon

Jodi FYI - if you are one of the people who can remove items from ebay, then there are more than two. You make 4 that I know of.
The seller of that Robinson piece has been thrown off ebay and I believe the buyer was notified.
--

I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.
Unknown author
--
We made a promise. We swore we'd always remember.
No retreat baby, no surrender.
The Boss

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

That may very well be. I only deal with one of those individuals, though. Just keep in mind that I do not literally "remove things from eBay"; my opinions have been utilized towards a final action. Perhaps that's just a matter of semantics, but I suppose it should be spelled out clearly to avoid future confusion.