THE SIMPLEST WAY TO AVOID BUYING BOOTLEGS AND ILLEGAL COPIES IS TO CAREFULLY READ THE SELLERS DESCRIPTION. IF THE SELLER DOES NOT LIST THE ITEM WITH THE WORDS "ORIGINAL TAPE WITH ORIGINAL BOX" OR "ORIGINAL TAPE WITH ORIGINAL BOX FITTED TO A CLAMSHELL CASE", YOU SHOULD NOT BID ON IT. SEND AN EMAIL TO THE SELLER AND ASK IF THE TAPE AND BOX ARE ORIGINAL IF YOU MUST. IF THERE IS NO REPLY OR IF THE SELLER DOESN'T KNOW, DON'T BID ON IT. ALSO, DO NOT BID ON BRITISH OR AUSTRALIAN IMPORTS AS THEY ARE ALSO BOOTLEGS. THERE ARE NO LEGAL VHS NTSC FORMAT VIDEO TAPES. SOME SELLERS USE THE IMPORT EXCUSE TO GET AROUND THE LAW, CLAIMING THEY BOUGHT THEM FROM A SUPPLIER OVERSEAS. ALSO, BRINGING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST AN OVERSEAS SELLER MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT. IF YOU DO BUY A TAPE THAT IS A COPY, DON'T LEAVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK. MANY BUYERS ARE AFRAID THAT IF THEY LEAVE NEAGATIVE FEEDBACK THEY'LL JUST GET THE SAME THING BACK. IF YOU ARE AFRAID OF THAT, THEN REPORT THE SELLER TO EBAY. SCANNING SOME BOOTLEGGERS FEEDBACK I'VE SEEN A BUYER LEAVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK SUCH AS, "I KNOW IT WAS A COPY, BUT I GOT IT FAST AND IT WAS A GOOD PRICE". THIS JUST REINFORCES THE BOOTLEGGERS SELLING TACTICS AND INCREASES HIS POSITIVE RATING. REPORT THEM TO EBAY.