Scams are nothing new on eBay, but there seems to be an increasing number of them involving CGC-graded items. This looks like an ongoing problem as the high prices commanded by CGC-graded books make them a prime target for scammers.

Over the past few months, I have bid on auctions for high-grade CGC books that turned out to be a scam as the seller did not actually have the book.  These have included high-grade copies of key books like Incredible Hulk #181 and Amazing Spider-Man #300.  Thankfully, I never paid for any of them, but I have heard from other collectors who have paid for CGC books that never arrived. 

How do you avoid it? On eBay, it's really a shot in the dark. There are certain things you can do to minimize the risk of being scammed:

• Buy from a reputable seller in excellent standing.
  There are plenty of Power Sellers that have 500+ feedback scores with at least 99% positive and a consistent history of selling CGC books. When dealing with these sellers, the transaction will usually be a safe and smooth one.
• Check the seller's history in the feedback page.
  Some scammers build up their eBay score either by purchasing low-priced items (more sophisticated ones use software bots to automatically post feedback to build impressive looking feedback profiles).  If the seller's history doesn't include a lot of CGC sales or comparable collectors' items, this is an immediate RED FLAG and warning.  By checking the feedback, you may also find honest sellers that specialize in CGC books and do not have a high feedback score. If a seller's score is low (50 to 200), but you see that they've had a number of successful CGC sales, then it may be a lower risk.  However, be wary of a seller who has been selling lower-priced CGC books, then suddenly lists high-end books for sale.
• Verify the image is valid.
  It used to be enough that if the seller posted a nice, quality image of the book then that would be enough to prove the auction's legitimacy.  That's no longer the case as there are plenty of high-quality scans available from many web-sites that can be attached to eBay listings. Ask the seller for additional images, preferably one that is dated by a digital camera or provides some proof that the book is in the seller's possession.
• Contact the seller and ask questions.
  Ask the seller questions about the item. Where did he buy it? Did he submit it himself? Are there any scratches on the case? If the seller does not respond, consider that another RED FLAG.
• Examine the description for the seller's writing style and spelling.
  Sounds strange, but in general, most comic book collectors tend to be excellent spellers and above average writers due to years of reading comic books. If the description is littered with spelling and grammatical errors, it's likely the seller is not a real collector and therefore would not be in possession of the item. Also, a number of scams originate from outside the U.S. and the writing errors make them easily identifiable.
• Buy one that has been authenticated by a third party or auction house.
  You can go to other sites like ComicLink or Heritage Auctions where the books are authenticated before they are sold to avoid the hassle. However, be prepared to pay more as the books tend to sell at higher prices on these sites, which may be worth it if your chances of being scammed are virtually eliminated.

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