Where can/do we report "fake autograph" sellers?

[Sean1125]

Well, locally there has been more and more auction houses and craigslist sellers that have massive amounts of forgeries with junk CoA's...

Is there any efficient way to get these guys reported and arrested for knowingly selling fraudulent memorabilia or do we just have to deal with it? I'm really sad to see the amount of fake auto's on CL by one seller, he frames everything to look nice and then puts "reasonable" prices on them... Seems to sell quite a bit.

[Mr. Zipper]

The sad reality is that many of these mass produced forgeries have been driven from eBay, so the criminals look for other distribution channels.

They are criminals -- the money is good, risk of prosecution is very low, and they will be persistent in trying to sell the counterfeits. Craigslist is hopeless and local law enforcement is not going to deal with the small auction houses where this junk crops up.

In my view, the best way to attack it is by educating buyers. Sites like this, Autograph Magazine Live, Chris Williams, have all exposed the junk. If the demand is not there, the criminals will move onto their next scam.

[RichardSimon]

When ebay was in its infancy I was disgusted by what I saw on the autograph side.
Complaints to ebay executives went for naught.
I then visited the NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs to make a report about the situation.
They were interested in what I had to say and opened an investigation.
Under my direction, they made two undercover purchases, from two separate sellers that I had pointed out to them.
The two autographs (both fakes of Christy Mathewson) were then sent to the NYC Police Dept. Crime Lab. Forensic examinations (yes forensic ) were conducted on both items. I submitted authentic exemplars for them to work with.
Two weeks later the forensic report stated that both items were forgeries. The Dept of Consumer Affairs then asked me for a list of other crooked sellers. I submitted a list to them and ebay was contacted. A dozen crooked sellers were then removed by ebay.
If people are willing to do something, and you find the right people in law enforcement, then something can be done about crooked sellers.

[travrosty]

ebay turns a blind eye if you try to report items directly, beter chance of playing pickup sticks with your ,well you know.

the next thing the crooks have turned to is to get their items a abc, xyz certificate, then its good forever, and it wouldnt get pulled by the pope if he ran the online auction houses.

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

If people are willing to do something, and you find the right people in law enforcement, then something can be done about crooked sellers..

This is perhaps the most frustrating part. I have yet to find anyone who cares. I don't blame the crooks as much as LE. The crooks are being crooks.

So....

If anyone from the: FDLE, FBI, State Attorney, Sheriff's Dept, Consumer Affairs. or even a *reporter* for gosh sakes, wants to help out, please contact me. It hasn't worked out so well the other way around.

[Duluth Eskimo]

This may fall on deaf ears as most are here because of their autograph interests, but if you think police have time to investigate forged autographs when people are constantly robbing and killing people in large cities you need to think again. Every time we put another person on welfare, we take away from government service that is there to protect us. Police departments are losing investigators every year and many crimes are not able to even be investigated due to lack of staffing. Forgers piss me off as much as the next guy and I am a longtime autograph collector, but cut the police a break as they barely have time to fully investigate a serious crime before the next big one happens.

[travrosty]

theft is theft. they can make time. they dont even have to do any investigating. we know who many forgers and crooked sellers are. all they have to do is go bust them. no one is holding their breath.

[travrosty]

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