Counterfeits In Current Ebay Auctions

Howdy peeps,

I figured it would be good to have an ongoing thread with counterfeits being sold on Ebay as authentic (non-Chinese sellers), whether the seller knows it's a counterfeit or not.

For your viewing pleasure, we have this mint condition 1853 $1 Gold coin:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310119777295

Should you have a weak stomach, please acquire a barf bag prior to viewing. :whistle:

As always, the seller should be notified the coin being offerred isn't authentic, prior to reporting it to Ebay and I have informed this seller of such but it never hurts to have more than one person explain this, since some peeps are hard-headed. :headbang:

Ribbit

 

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This is not a counterfeit but the seller has improperly listed it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1788-U-S-COLONIAL-CONNECTICUT-COIN-FACING-LEFT-CONNLC_W0QQitemZ330304093723

On Jan 30th, I sent the seller this message:

"This is not a CONNLC variety. It's a M16.3-N:

http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/connecticut_coppers/1788_ct_coppers/1788_ct_miller_16.03_N.htm"
I just looked and the seller has not corrected the listing and some of you may wonder if it even matters, but it does, considering the CONNLC varieities usually are worth more since they are "errors" so by saying it's a CONNLC variety, the seller has attributed it as a more expensive variety than it is. :whistle:

I find this type of error all over Ebay and I think the sellers should be more responsible when they list a coin.

Ribbit

 

Here's another counterfeit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/United-States-1787-New-Jersey-Copper_W0QQitemZ350159375480

It's a poor electrotype copy of a M48-G:

http://coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/new_jersey_coppers/maris_48g.htm

It's amazing how many colonial counterfeits there are on Ebay. :goofer:

Ribbit

 

Here is another improperly listed New Jersey Cent:

http://cgi.ebay.com/American-Post-Colonial-New-Jersey-1786-Cent-Copper-Coin_W0QQitemZ200304116185

Here's my message to the seller:

This is a 1787 M39-a:

http://coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/new_jersey_coppers/maris_39a.htm

You should change the listing to reflect the correct date.

This is so common with the early colonials. :goofer:

Ribbit

 

This is a replica:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CONTINENTAL-CUR...goryZ528QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It was sold to tourists and now to peeps that hope it's real. :goofer:

Ribbit

 

I e-mailed the guy with the dollar, he seemed genuinely interested in learning that it was a fake and he seems to have pulled it.

No clue what it's worth but I figured it would be worth melt if really gold, no?

 

Here's a good one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250365358675

What does the seller say about the coin?

"attention all bidders i am saleing this coin as a coin because i don't know nothing about any coins as a collector but the coin shop that i took the coin to said that it was a walking liberty fifty cent peice"

I find it interesting that this seller has no clue what this is, when he purchased it (Item #380076911031) just over 3 months ago from coins.hk, a Chinese seller that sells replicas:

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=markwelch123&ftab=FeedbackAsBuyer

And to see what Item #380076911031 is, here you go:

http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cach...ck:2:us+380076911031&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

I think the seller knows what it is.

Ribbit

 

I really want to order one of those coins from that coins.hk guy just to see the quality of the fakes. :whistle:

Once again crap. This is Garrett I am accidentally logged in as my mom.

 

All I can say about those coins is sad that people are fooled and even sadder that people are out to fool them.

 

Identity crisis? :whistle:

Ribbit

 

You are killing me with this logging in as your mom. :goof: Ice

 

Thankfully, he doesn't have a sister! :mouth:

Ribbit

 

eBay needs to read the threads on this forum

Yesterday (February 2) I informed eBay via their online reporting system that they should check this forum for a wealth of information about likely fraudulent eBay auctions.

If eBay takes a careful look at past auctions, as Handsome Toad and others have done, they will find sufficient information that would justify asking certain sellers some hard questions and demanding documented answers.

Here's just one example. In a thread I started on the topic of a fake 1796 dollar offered in an eBay auction by seller windy-cove-antiques (http://www.cointalk.com/forum/t47224/), Handsome Toad posted a link to a November 2008 auction by that same seller of a 1801 dollar coin (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230307575728).

In the November auction, windy-cove-antiques used the same story about inheriting the coin from a relative, and repeated the same warning about not knowing if it was real or fake. But in the November auction, he was a bit more honest and stated: "I would say due to the age of the coin i believe it is fake. There is no repelica or copy stamped on the coin, so me and my wife did not know if it was real or not.. So i am selling it as Fake."

It was probably still the case that he knew it was fake, but at least he gave warning back in November. But that auction only got to $75. By January, he had a similar pitch about inheriting from a relative and not knowing if it was real or fake, but now he no longer said he believed the coin was a fake. (And when I directly asked him in an email during the auction if he had reason to believe it was fake, all he said was that he didn't know anything about coins.) Anyway, his change in strategy really paid off. The fake 1796 dollar coin drew a bid of $1825.

Are you listening, eBay?

 

I don't think they are! They are too busy listening to the money they are making off all the scams. :goof: On the CFE Group, we've proven many sellers to be nothing short of frauds and we still can't get Ebay to NARU them and then, when they are NARU'd, they resurrect themselves to scam again. :whistle: Greed has blinded Ebay! :hammer:

Thanks for going the extra mile and trying to put a stop to the fraud! :thumb:

Ribbit

 

He states it's not stamped copy or otherwise? I guess being new I'm not sure how they change these coins that are stamped. Don't tell me I don't want someone to find out how. How can you rip someone off and act so innocent? I would be worried sick I would get caught by the Secret Service (SS) He probably doesn't even have a wife. Ice

 

Get your Shoot straight, Freaky.

Are you speaking? Or is it mommy? Come on. let your mommy log onto for her on self. Or log on for yourself.

Bruce

 

For your viewing pleasure, here's a Ebay store full of key date Morgans that are ALL counterfeits:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZwillybiron

The seller is fully aware they are fake, since they tried to sell them once before but the CFE Group caught them and they were all removed but as you can see, Ebay left the scammer alone so they can scam again at a later date. :whistle:

Ribbit

 

Wow, this guys my hero. :bow: The following is a direct quote from his listing: "With the economy crisis of our country, I would like to share some of them with you with the coming prosperous New Year 2009 and Christmas, since most of them will increase in value and will protect your property." I'm not quite sure how a counterfeit coin is going to protect my property, but it must be true because it says so right there in the listing. :whistle: I couldn't find anywhere in the listing where he claims the coin is authentic. dd: He states "we guarantee all the coins you get will be what you see in the auction." I wonder what happens with a paypal dispute if the seller never actually claimed the coin was real. Could you file for a refund based on it being a counterfeit if it doesn't actually say it's real in the listing? On the bright side, at least shipping is free. :rolling:

 

I ran into that problem with the fake Double Eagle I bought. The seller claimed they never said it was real but the problem is, they never said it wasn't and if you list on Ebay directly (not via a secondary listing service) there's a 2nd page that has a disclaimer on it that states, that by listing this coin, you are stating it is authentic, unless otherwise noted. Also, the Coin & Stamp policy basically says the same thing.

So to answer your question, NO! They can't use that as a defense but I guarantee you they will try!

Ribbit

 

Just to show you how Ebay is so on your side, fighting fraud to keep Ebay a safe place for you to buy, here is our latest scammer with relists of what he didn't sell first time around:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZwillybiron

I see something like this and the old Tootsie Pop commercial comes to mind . . . .

Just how many scams does it take to get NARU'd? :whistle:

Ribbit