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+--- Thread: FRAUD Alert! (/Thread-FRAUD-Alert)
FRAUD Alert! - Tretov - 09-14-2010
From eBay rules:
We reserve the right to accept this written confirmation directly from other reliable third parties.Buyers agree to cooperate with us to ensure the proper disposal of the counterfeit items. For example, buyers may be asked to destroy (and certify that the item has been destroyed) or send the item to the manufacturer or other appropriate third party for disposal. Any costs associated with this destruction or disposal may be paid by eBay, in our sole discretion.
The buyer is to destroy...which means, that if we assume Buyer purchase an authentic Lenin from Seller, and decide to keep the money and the item, he could simply get a good copy of the award and have it destroyed at a facility (where the personell do not know, nor do they care) if it is the same item. Beware.
FRAUD Alert! - Eryk - 09-14-2010
After more thought I suspect that counterfeits, as far as eBay are concerned, are things like bootleg DVDs, fake Gucci bags and Rolex watches. I doubt that art/non-mass market collectables will be subject to this, if only because agreeing on what is "fake" is so open to debate.
Could be wrong of course, but getting out of the soviet-awards mindset and back into the real world out there :chuckle I think the issue of "counterfeits" has nothing to do with us.
FRAUD Alert! - ph3s - 09-14-2010
Eryk Wrote:After more thought I suspect that counterfeits, as far as eBay are concerned, are things like bootleg DVDs, fake Gucci bags and Rolex watches. I doubt that art/non-mass market collectables will be subject to this, if only because agreeing on what is "fake" is so open to debate.
Could be wrong of course, but getting out of the soviet-awards mindset and back into the real world out there :chuckle I think the issue of "counterfeits" has nothing to do with us.
+1, they don't care about confectioners, It's the t BIG companies are giving ebay hard time.
FRAUD Alert! - andrew6767 - 09-14-2010
As someone that has bought counterfeit soviet medals and had a massive bun fight with Paypal over it, they require you to send the medals to them.
They do try the the " prove they are counterfeit " thing, so I went with the " refund my money or else I will be filing a complaint against Paypal Australia with my states small claims tribunal " reply
I won. ( In Australia you can file a claim in Small Claims against a company and it only costs you $30. They are required to appear, meaning that Paypal would have to send a representative. If they dont, they lose by default. If they do, the consumer wins 9 out of 10 times. Paypal knows this and if you threaten them with it they cough up mighty fast 
)In Australia ( I cant speak for the rest of the world ), companies can have all sorts of rules, conditions of use, terms of conditions etc but they mean nothing if consumer law over rides them.
It looks like Paypal are getting sick of paying out on counterfeit items and are letting sellers know about it. Counterfeit medals would be a minority, think of all the sunglasses and everyday counterfeit stuff you see from china.
FRAUD Alert! - deValcourt - 12-25-2011
"Shop before you buy." This may seem like common sense, but it never fails to amaze me when someone trumps up an item (especially on ePay) and expect you to go for it just because it is something you can't normally find at your local "Wally-World."
Here is an extraordinary example, and one that is not so extraordinary in the world of books: Peter H. Solomon's book, Soviet Criminal Justice Under Stalin. It's not a nail-biter or what Harpo's book club would call a "page-turner," but an extremely important book for my personal purposes in the study of Soviet history regarding the state security organs (including the Office of the Public Prosecutor - a very rough equivalent of the US District Attorney's office) as the means by which the entire USSR was able to exist for as long as it did.
There is a seller on the most popular auction site offering the book for $126. Be mindful that the book was first published in 1996 and had enough sales to justify a paperback version as well. I think it may have been used as a textbook or at minimum required reading in college level courses across the English-speaking world and was even published by Cambridge University Press.
Just the little bit of information I listed above was enough for me to find it from a reliable seller (outside of the e-auction site) for $18.28 including 3-5 day shipping (I got it today which makes 2 days).
I know we have several authors and would-be authors (I'll lump myself into that latter category) and I do not wish to cut into their profits, but paper publishers are going the way of the music CD makers - the way of the dinosaur. Personally, this sickens me, but that is another topic. But what is relevant is the fact that instead of lowering the price to make it more accessible to more readers, some sellers do the opposite - guaranteeing that the fewest number of people possible will ever get around to enjoying and learning from the contents of the book. It is almost shameful and certainly sad.
If I had to single out a point here, I guess it would be as follows: regardless of what you are looking for, don't jump when you hear that starter's pistol go off in your head. I wish I had had the patience I do now when I bought many of my more expensive awards in my collection. I look now at similar awards going for - in some cases - half of what I paid 4-5 years ago.
You live, you learn and if you are not a downright jerk, you share what you've learned, and that is what I'm trying to do.
Oh, and the book is fantastic so far.:thumbsup
Buyer beware,
Phillip
FRAUD Alert! - EricFG - 12-25-2011
I hear your pain, bro. Capitolism ain't quite what it could be, maybe Marx & Engels had a fair idea.
But enough politics; assuming you've been good may many small, metallic, and authentic KGB badges mysteriously appear under your tree tomorrow morning.
Cheers all! :thumbsup
FRAUD Alert! - deValcourt - 12-26-2011
EricFG Wrote:I hear your pain, bro. Capitolism ain't quite what it could be, maybe Marx & Engels had a fair idea.
But enough politics; assuming you've been good may many small, metallic, and authentic KGB badges mysteriously appear under your tree tomorrow morning.
Cheers all! :thumbsup
If Christmas were what it's supposed to be instead of what it has become in the Coca-Cola-drinking Western world, then there would have been several Cheka-OGPU badges under my modest little tree (even high quality fakes would have been acceptable
), but I do not wish to go into the socio-political aspects of our red-n-white-clad Santa and the emphasis on "buy, buy, buy" - remember, the Soviets gave out "good consumer" awards to the members of the public who managed to to purchase their "quota" of consumer items each month. Instead, we tax the consumer more...I'll stop there.I have one or two of those "good consumer" awards and document(s) somewhere, but I also remember posting photos of it somewhere here.:o
Phillip
FRAUD Alert! - Henry Sakaida - 06-14-2012
I was looking at the Lavian HSU grouping (HSU, Order of Lenin, 2 Red Banners, Order of the Red Star, and a screwback Order of the Patriotic War), plus a gramota and an order booklet). Top bid was $12,750.00 out of 58 bids.
If the winner receives it and it is genuine, then he made a fantastic deal!
If the seller was smart, they should have approached Sothesbys or some other reliable international auction house.
My question to the membership: Have you ever won a bid on a pricey medal from any of the former Soviet republics and had non-delivery because the Customs of the originating country had confiscated it from the seller? You had already paid. Did you get your money back? Or you disputed the authenticity?
I would imagine that the sender would have to declare what is in the package. If there is a false declaration, it would be confiscated and the sender would be in trouble, and instead of winding up with $12,750.00, he would be looking at legal problems. And what happens if US Customs checks and finds out that the declaration is false or inaccurate?
The above scenario prevents me from bidding on overseas items, no matter what it is. Sure, I get excited seeing such offers. I'll be looking to see if this set turns up again!
FRAUD Alert! - Tretov - 06-14-2012
Not that I know this particular group, but ... "Expensive" group sold way cheap from Latvia, the jewel in the crown of Baltic faker states - don't cry over this group
FRAUD Alert! - GabrielMk3 - 06-14-2012
The same guy sold this; 280892700951
Check the images, they're pretty good. But so are the fakes nowadays.
Difficult to draw any conclusion at all!