I recently purchased a Chris Pine as Captain Kirk Star Trek Movie autograph card from an eBay seller. The seller was international, and didn't have many feedback (33) but what he did have was good. I bought and paid for the item on September 8th. On the 14th I was informed the card was shipped out registered mail international. I received the card today. The card was shipped inside a top loader and penny sleeve inside a PLAIN WHITE ENVELOPE. Ut oh I thought already not off to a good start. The top loader was not even taped shut, and the card had come out, but luckily there was almost no damage to the card. I looked at the card and something seemed very off. The signature did not look like it was signed with a marker, it look printed...however the card itself looked 100% legit. Matte front, Glossy back just like all the other Trek cards from the set. I still though thought something looked very wrong about it. So I pulled out the rest of the autographs and compared them. My heart sank when I realized this was a 100% fake. A very good fake, but a fake nonetheless. I will be getting a scan up in a couple minutes of the front and back, but here are all of the problems with the card.

The signature is printed on, not signed with a marker

The card is slightly thinner than the rest of the Trek autographs

The card is slightly smaller than the rest of the Trek autographs, meaning when the seller made the card it was cut just slightly wrong.

Upon a closer look, the stock the card is printed on is much different than the Trek card stock. The real backsides of the autographs have a slight beige in color, whereas this one is white, also the coloring on the front is the same beige vs white.


The ebay seller is <removed -- again> and I am not posting this to flame this person or anything, I am posting this so that hopefully it saves a couple of you from falling for this scam. He has a recent feedback from another buyer for another Pine autograph and I am going to e-mail them to let them know as well.








The autograph should be easy for you guys to see as fake, however obviously the other little things might be harder to pick up with the scans. I have reported this guy to Ebay, left negative feedback, and filed a Paypal claim so I will keep you guys updated with what happens.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jon@webjon.com,

I'm sorry you got burned Chris. Hope you can resolve the issue.
Thanks for the tip, though. I'm looking for a Chris Pine myself

<moderator hat on>

I have removed the seller's account name as it isn't appropriate to have a one sided discussion about a seller.

</moderator hat off>

How is it inappropriate for me to post his name? How the heck would people know what seller to avoid if they do not know his name? I never posted his real name, just his ebay name so people don't purchase from him and get scammed as well

There have been a number of counterfeit cards popping up lately -- several are discussed on my blog (Katie Holmes, James Franco and Elizabeth Banks), and I've written about it for the next issue of Non-Sport Update.

I would suggest you contact Rittenhouse about this card. I also suggest you indicate the card is a counterfeit on the eBay page where you bought it (there is a 'report this auction' link on the auction page).

Rittenhouse may want to look at this card to investigate, and eBay/paypal will likely allow you to keep the card if you report it as a counterfeit.

I have been through this myself recently so if you have any questions, issue feel free to contact me.

Jon

It's bad enough we as collectors have to worry about fake 8 by 10's. Now it's the cards which I thought were forgery proof...
I hope you get your hard earned cash back!!!

Right I understand that, but how will people know to avoid this person if they don't know his ebay name? Can I post the link to the completed listing?

What is the point of trying to help out the community if they can't even know who to avoid?

That is something you'd have to take up with Harris.

This is a pretty serious claim that I'm sure Card Talk and NSU doesn't want to get in the middle of. Alerting people to an issue is about as good as you can do as it is possible there are multiple sellers, or that other people have already bought from your seller and are now reselling/trading so in essence being diligent about looking at the cards you are buying is far more important than knowing which seller sold a fake card.

The seller I bought from, for example, is no longer selling, but that doesn't mean no one is selling anymore.

Jon

Well then, collectors who are looking for a Pine autograph please be on the look out and ask for additional scans before making a purchase of such a high $ value card

Hey Chris, can you email me the link to the item? (my email address is in my profile)
Thanks.

Wow, there's a lot of posts here and this is the first I've gotten a chance to look or weigh in.

Jon has pretty much said everything I would have said and what he says is our position on this of thing. This is one side of the story. Perhaps the seller doesn't even know he is selling a counterfeit card. Jon and I saw this exact thing at the recent Chicagoland show. Someone we all know and respect and think a great deal of had a counterfeit card for sale and didn't know it was counterfeit. Should I name his name here? No, we don't do that. He has since removed the card from his inventory.

But I do think it's good, Chris, that you have made this post so that buyers will be aware. I also do hope that you'll pursue contacting Rittenhouse about this.

Already sent an e-mail to Rittenhouse, and I will go ahead and e-mail you Lizzy


Also, while looking over the Ebay listing again, I noticed the seller lists their location in the US, however the card was shipped from Overseas...Ireland I think

Chris, I am sorry though (and also, that you got a counterfeit card in the first place) and hope you understand our position and how it can be problematic for us.

Now that you mention Ireland -- I recall someone at the Chicago Show mentioning a questionable Star Trek card they bought and returned to someone in Ireland.

FYI: The Card Harris is talking about in his post that I noticed at the Chicago Show is the Katie Holmes discussed, and photographed on my blog.

Jon

quote:

Originally posted by Miss Lizzy:
Hey Chris, can you email me the link to the item? (my email address is in my profile)
Thanks.

I'd very much appreciate a link too please Chris.

quote:

Originally posted by riddickfan:
It's bad enough we as collectors have to worry about fake 8 by 10's. Now it's the cards which I thought were forgery proof...

Unfortunately nothing is forgery proof, not even dollar bills. Its good information to have because once one passable fake of a valuable autograph card turns up you know there are going to be more somewhere.

I recently bid on a Chris Pine autograph card where the seller was listed as being from Ireland. I placed a bid, but was outbid on the last day by a significant amount. Within 24 hours, I was contacted by the seller saying that the buyer had was unable to pay for the card, and that I had received a second chance offer. I was suspicious that a seller would act so quickly to make a second chance offer. Based on what I have read about this Chris Pine card, I suspect it is the same seller. I also suspect that it is part of a larger scam, as suggested by other fake cards that are making their way on to the market. I too, shall be contacting Steve at Rittenhouse to suggest that he may have to consider going back to the old Skybox method of authenticating the autograph cards. (Particulalry in light of the recent Paul Baxley saga from the new Star Trek TOS 2009 set.)
markjg72

Hi Chris,
Sorry to hear about your bad luck.
Just interested though - how much did you paid for the card??

Greetings

first off, i am very sorry to hear this Chris. this is the biggest nightmare that all of us here have about card collecting. hopefully it gets all settled and you are refunded. on a related note i have a question... have their ever been fakes of any inkworks autos? or is just cards from other card companies?

there were definitely inkworks fakes out there. i had a fake charisma carpenter angel season 2 auto that i purchased off ebay early on this year. i believe i also heard about a fake boreanaz autos floating around too.