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eBay FAKE AUTOGRAPHS
The BRUCE LEE autograph above was purchased by me on ebay, it was determined a FAKE by PSA/DNA Authentication Services, because of their intervention, I got my Money Back!
For $7.49 PSA/DNA Authentication Services will have an expert opinion given to you about an online autograph which I did. You can also pay $5.95 for one month before you place your next bid, give yourself peace-of-mind by examining autographs for sale side-by-side with PSA/DNA's Real! Autographs online. Or you can send it to them for Analysis/Cetification.
"While it is impossible to definitely estimate the percentage of forged memorabilia, most industry experts concede that over half of the autographed memorabilia is forged. In fact, some cooperating subjects and memorabilia experts believe that up to ninety percent of the memorabilia on the market is forged." - FBI website
In April 2000, the FBI's Operation Bullpen busted a nationwide ring of forgers and seized approximately $10 million of forged memorabilia supposedly signed by athletes and celebrities (this includes some dealers that were previously considered "reputable"). If you are thinking this problem lies only in sports memborabilia, think again. X-files star David Duchovny sued an autograph dealer that was selling "authentic" autographed photos of DD for $60 each. He was awarded $366,000.
C.O.A. Equals Authentic?
Just because the autograph comes with a certificate of authenticity (COA) doesn't mean you have any added security that you are buying the real thing. COAs are only as trustworthy as the dealer who issues them. Please also keep this in mind when you are buying IP autographs (IP or in-person autographs means that the dealer or one of his/her employees actually witnessed the signing) - you are relying on the dealer's word. Also, ask how the autograph was obtained. Some reputable dealers were found to carry forged merchandise - not because they were associated with forgers, but because they were not careful enough and bought forged items without realizing it.
Am I safe on eBay?
During Operation Bullpen, it was discovered that forgers were using eBay and online auction sites to sell items. A class action lawsuit for fraud was filed against eBay by buyers as a result of information discovered in the investigation. eBay maintains that they are not responsible for the authenticity of the merchandise. Let the buyer beware. eBay has posted a guideline page on autographed items (it would be even better if they required all autographed merchandise sold through eBay to have a link to this page). The feedback rating records the satisfaction of previous customers, it is not a rating by experts.
How can I be sure that it's the real thing?
Unless you personally witness the celebrity signing the object for you, you can not be totally sure that you have an authentic autograph. I had always thought charity auctions were the best bet for authenticity since it would be a charity getting the money rather than a dealer. WRONG! It came to light in Operation Bullpen that in some cases forgers were supplying the autographs and splitting the profits with the charity. If you are buying an item from a charity auction or organization, find out how it was obtained. For example, at the Baltimore Keeping the Faith premiere, EN attended the event and KTF posters autographed by him were sold in the lobby with the money going to a scholarship fund in his mother's name. Even though you couldn't actually see him signing the posters, it would be highly unlikely that these aren't the real thing (although I wouldn't trust the authenticity of buying a poster from someone who said they attended the event, you have only their word that the poster is the same). Highly publicized auctions featuring items from many celebrities (for example, the charity auction where celebs designed and donated a Christmas card to be auctioned) also seem to be a safer bet, but definitely a more expensive route to take.
So if you can't meet him in person, or go to a charity premiere, or buy from a reputable charity auction, what do you do? Research. Autograph collecting is a hobby of many individuals and even if you are just interested in a few or one, take the same safeguards as the devoted hobbists and look for specially certified dealers. The Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC) website has a list of registered dealers, dealers that meet their specific criteria for reliablity. They also have their own auction site as well as a link to UACC registered dealers' auctions on eBay. It's your money, so ask questions.
Guide created: 11/10/07 (updated 11/04/09)
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