Potential scam through Craigslist

[BigfootIsReal]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

Good advice. But the two pictures are not the same. Look at the space between the index and the middle finger. Much bigger in the Mantle pic.

Not identical, look at the gap between the index and middle fingers

[butchie_t]

Does anyone go so far as to look at the metadata on card photos?

This can be looked at and is another evaluation point to provide information about the picture.

It may not be enough to determine authenticity, but there is enough information there to aid in garnering an opinion prior to a transaction.

Butch

[Zan]

Originally Posted by butchie_t

Does anyone go so far as to look at the metadata on card photos?

This can be looked at and is another evaluation point to provide information about the picture.

It may not be enough to determine authenticity, but there is enough information there to aid in garnering an opinion prior to a transaction.

Butch

How does one go about doing this, and what does it mean? Pretty unfamiliar. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by Zan

How does one go about doing this, and what does it mean? Pretty unfamiliar. Any help is greatly appreciated.

https://pixelpeeper.com/exif-data-viewer

This is an on-line program. I will caveat that you are not going to exclusively rule in or out a particular photo from someone. That being said, take a photo that you have and drop it into this program. You can then see the underlying information associated with the photo.

Things like what sort of camera was used to take the picture.
What date the picture was taken.
In some instances you can even get GPS coordinates and GPS date/time information.
There is also a PhotoShop header. Not sure what would be entered here if something was photoshopped, BUT it is another datapoint for evaluation.

What does all of this mean when gathered together. A level of intent on the part of the seller. Someone legit is not gonna muck with this information if they have nothing to hide.

A red flag for me would be the absence of this metadata. One has to make an effort to remove this data.

Again, not foolproof but just another datapoint to evaluate when you are looking to buy something from someone and they send you photos of what they are selling.

Butch

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by butchie_t

https://pixelpeeper.com/exif-data-viewer

This is an on-line program. I will caveat that you are not going to exclusively rule in or out a particular photo from someone. That being said, take a photo that you have and drop it into this program. You can then see the underlying information associated with the photo.

Things like what sort of camera was used to take the picture.
What date the picture was taken.
In some instances you can even get GPS coordinates and GPS date/time information.
There is also a PhotoShop header. Not sure what would be entered here if something was photoshopped, BUT it is another datapoint for evaluation.

What does all of this mean when gathered together. A level of intent on the part of the seller. Someone legit is not gonna muck with this information if they have nothing to hide.

A red flag for me would be the absence of this metadata. One has to make an effort to remove this data.

Again, not foolproof but just another datapoint to evaluate when you are looking to buy something from someone and they send you photos of what they are selling.

Butch

If you have an iPhone, you can just slide up on a photo and see the metadata.

[butchie_t]

yes you can.

There are many ways to get metadata. Just showing one way to do that to Zan.

Butch

[doug.goodman]

At the risk of prolonging the time that this thread remains on the front page, and with no disrespect intended to anybody reading, or posting on, this thread, this is a text book case of "live and learn" in regards to purchasing from people unknown to you.

The technicalities of metadata certainly CAN be helpful, but if you distrust a seller enough to be checking the metadata, that's kind a big hint as to whether you should be following thru with you potential deal. The reality of CRAIGSLIST and ease of use for scammers is the real issue. Be unlike Mike, JUST DON'T DO IT!

I collect a very esoteric (to many people) yet easy to find item, and scouring the interwebs looking for them is a daily (hourly?) thing for me, but I have NEVER looked at craigslist, and probably never will.

The OP is looking for items that have multiple listing in multiple safe(r) venues, and we are all better off in those safer venues.

The very title of the this thread is redundant (scam and craigslist) and laughable (with the word "possible").

Zan - I'm sorry this happened to you, but no insurance claim or police report is going to make it right. Move on, take it as a lesson learned.

Wish cancer on Alex Julian of Chillicothe Ohio and his ilk if you care to, but that's the best you can do is wish.

Doug "we all have a similar story" Goodman