eBay Fakes... of a different sort

I just (knowingly) purchased a half dozen fake coins on eBay from a seller in Hong Kong, the idea being that if I had a few fakes to examine it would help me to tell the difference when attempting to buy the real coins.

The seller is powerseller with over 2500 feedback and a 99.8% feedback rating. In his auctions he states that coins are fake, posts the US Hobby Protection Act, and posts pictures of the fakes with the word "copy" stamped on one side...

Only problem is, there's no such stamp on the actual coins!

This is in direct violation of the Hobby Protection Act which he so proudly displays in his auctions! This makes me mad because either no one is reporting him, or eBay doesn't care.

Nonetheless, I'm going to contact eBay about it, but they don't make it easy... anyone know the best way to go about this?

 

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Really? very interesting, Don't hold your breath

 

With that info, I would call them and make sure it got to the right people. Most of the time I have called lately, they have been extremely helpful.

 

I'd love to, but the only number I have for eBay just sends me to an automated message directing me to their website help pages.

If you have a number that works, feel free to PM me with it.

 

I could, but I will bet it is the same number you have except I have a password to get into it. Try "live help" Link is on this page.

http://contact.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ShowCUPortal&_trksid=m38

 

Does anyone want any "unsearch" fake Chinese coins?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Replica-500-x-p...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:4|294:50

 

I apreciate the help, but I think I'll pass. The last time I had to talk to someone in Live Chat it was like talking to a bot... not a plesant experience and 45 minutes of my life that I'll never get back.

Between the web forms and phone recordings, eBay makes it very hard to resolve issues and report bad sellers. Unless someone can point out something quick and easy that I missed, I guess the bad guys are going to win in this case.

 

No thanks... already got some.

 

Actually, you have to request the copy stamp... otherwise, you get the coin "stamp free". This is standard procedure for most Chinese sellers and is in violation of the HPA and eBay policy. However, eBay has clamped down on some of China's power sellers... I believe they must now list their coins in the replica category, and the coins will be stamped. They (the sellers) will still omit the stamp if you so request. thereby negating the new policy. It's just a game eBay is playing, and will do little to stem the flood of unstamped forgeries into this country.

 

True but since he isn't in this country the law is not enforceable on him. Unfortunately since YOU imported the unmarked copies, YOU are the person who is in violation of the HPA. Nice huh.

 

faked coins were gone at the wholesale market place. the remainding coins is but some sort of other coins not mentioned in the coin world catalog.

 

Talk about complicated...

I live in Canada so this particular act doesn't apply to me either, but I'm sure we have a similar provision or law.

I guess the only way to stop this sort of thing is for people to stop buying their goods, and I don't see that happening anytime soon, unfortunately.

 

I might well consider buying a few so that I have them as refference, but I would want them stamped copy

 

I can't imagine why someone would have them stamped if they were not from the beginning.. what's your point ? :eating:

 

Our Chinese friends produce all their forgeries without the "copy" stamp; they add the stamp as a secondary operation, but only if the buyer requests it. To be compliant with eBay rules (and the HPA), all replica coins must be stamped "copy". A stamped coin prevents it from ever entering the market place as genuine. Wishful thinking if you ask me...

 

There's no fear of mistaking this guys fakes as genuine... they're poor quality at best.

 

My point is that I would not buy a replica coin unless it was stamped COPY and quite a few of these guy's do send them out unstamped as was stated a few posts prior to mine

 

I would disagree with you, I have a small counterfeit collection containing circulation counterfeits and numismatic counterfeits. To stamp "COPY" into these items is like stamping "MINT STATE" into a Gem BU coin, it ruins it.

On ebay, every reproduction must have the "copy" stamp visible or ebay will pull the listing. Many of the people who buy these numismatic counterfeits do so to fill a hole in their collection. The word COPY in the coin makes the buyer feel like they still do not have a complete collection.

I agree that counterfeiting is a problem, and these items quite often get relisted as genuine, but whether you like it or not, these items are still artwork and have an incredible history behind them.

 

Now it depends if you are talking about modern copies or contempory forgeries I woudnt expect a contempory forgery to be stamped copy but if it is one of these mass produced chinese pieces then yes I would here is a nice example of a period piece

 

I hope not !