I have done some research on bootleg jerseys being sold on Ebay and have come up with a few tips when buying on Ebay.  I know some sellers will say that if the price is too good to be true, then there is a reason to be concerned.  I agree to a certain extent with that mentality, but I myself have access to a major wholesaler/retailer that sell authentic sports jerseys for a dramatic discount.  I have compiled a list of things that I have seen that may help you with your purchase.

When buying authentic Reebok NFL game jerseys look for the following signs of fraudulent merchandise.

1.  Many of these bootleggers on Ebay are also selling 1992 team USA basketball Michael Jordan champion authentic jerseys.  THEY ARE FAKE.  The source where their jerseys come from are also selling fake authentic Reebok NFL jerseys.  Take a look for yourself.  Search for USA Jordan jersey, and you will see that the sellers with these jerseys are also selling the authentic NFL fakes. 

2.  As with the previous tip, they also are selling fake Jordan Bulls jerseys "made" by Nike.  These jerseys have the Finals Patch on one shoulder.  Again, another sign of a bootlegger.

3.  Pay close attention to their feedback.  You may find that some of these sellers have a decent rating, but look at the negatives and neutrals that they have.  If they have several stating that the jerseys being sold were bootleg/fake/counterfeit, then there is a strong chance that they are selling fakes.

4.  Jerseys that are photographed in a bag are often fakes(this is also the case with Mitchell & Ness).  I am not sure why this is the case, but many of the bootlegs I have seen on Ebay were in clear plastic bags.  I have never seen an authentic jersey in a bag. 

When buying Authentic Mitchell & Ness jerseys.

1.  Mitchell & Ness does not make the following player's jerseys.

    A.) Michael Jordan

    B.) Lebron James

    C.) O.J. Simpson

    D.) Tim Duncan

MitchellandNess.com has a more comprehensive list of players they do not make jerseys for and you should consult that list prior to bidding on any jerseys on Ebay.

1.  Mitchell & Ness does not make college or High School jerseys.  I have seen several lebron H.S. and O.J. Simpson USC jerseys up for bid.  They are all bootleg.  Mitchell & Ness does not make them.

2.  Mitchell & Ness does not make size 50/58 jerseys.  I have come across several on Ebay.

3.  Many Sellers with access to Mitchell & Ness items, and they will sell other items aside from jerseys.  Does this mean that sellers just selling Mitchell & Ness jerseys are selling fakes?  Of course not, but I have never seen a seller who sells various M&N items, also sell fake jerseys.

4.  Types of jerseys Mitchell & Ness do NOT sell.

A.) NFL players of the century(multiple names or numbers). 

B.) Split jerseys such as the Wizards/Bulls Jordan jersey. 

C.)  Jerseys that have lifetime achievements printed on the jersey.  I have seen several of these on a week to week basis.

5.  Mitchell & Ness make jerseys true to the era represented on the jersey.  For example, I have seen several Larry Bird All-Star jerseys with style of the jersey was not true to the style of the jersey worn durring the year represented on the jock tag. 

Some of the questions I seem to get often with my answers.

Q.  Are the lettering on this jersey stitched....Do all Mitchell & Ness jerseys have stitched lettering/numbers?

A.  No, not all Mitchell & Ness jerseys are stitched.  M&N makes exact replicas of the authentic jersey of the season represented on the jersey.  Meaning.....If the 1986 Seattle Seahawk's authentic jerseys had screened lettering....so will the Mitchell & Ness jersey.

Q.  I have another Mitchell & Ness jersey and this one looks different.

A.  Again, every jersey made by Mitchell & Ness is an exact replica of the original jersey, so they will all be different.

Q.  I bought a jersey I thought was real, and I feel I am stuck with it.  What do I do?

A.  Report the Fraudulent seller to Ebay, Paypal, and their local police.  You should not have to waste your hard earned money on cheap misrepresented garbage.

*Updated info.

While searching for a particular player jersey, if you find one with a jock tag that says "Player of the Century", it is a fake jersey. 

I have looked into how many fraudulent NFL authentic jerseys are currently on Ebay, and have come to the conclusion that Ebay is the worst place to purchase an authentic NFL player jersey.  My estimate is that about 80% of all currently listed jerseys are fake.  The result of the lack of regulating NFL fake jerseys on Ebay is that sellers with the real product are no longer listing them due to the absurdly low prices the bootleg jerseys are bringing in. 

I hope the information in this guide will help you with your future purchases.