NY Times article today about Ebay counterfeiting problem

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Arnold & Porter (Tiffany's attorneys) are heavyweights; they won't pull punches or settle short of trial unless ebay rolls over.

It would be nice to get rid of all the fake crap but I fear all ebay would have left in the vintage card field would be slabbed cards. Anything else could be challenged all too easily. What I think will happen is that ebay will have everyone who wants to list sign a statement under penalty of perjury that the items are genuine, and have anyone who wants to bid sign a disclosure that they assume full risk of the item being fake and hold ebay harmless from liability if it is a fake.

I don't think we as a board could or should get into the authenticating game. First of all, it is impossible to authenticate something without seeing it in person, although you can spot an obvious fake on line. I sure would not want to attest to it. Second, none of us are making money off this board and I dont' think anyone wants to start that.

One thing that Ebay has always been able to do but has never done is to seek the advice of experts in vintage cards who could scan the listings and stop fraudulent items. Hire me: I'd rather read ebay listings than practice law.