Try to get the signatures in person--either
at an event where they're performing or at an event where they're
signing.
Buy from companies that get witnessed-based
signings and that document the authenticity. Major League Baseball, for example,
has a program that uses Deloitte and Touche as the witnessing agent with
tamper-proof holograms affixed to items that are uniquely numbered and tracked
in a database. The point is that these programs establish a chain of custody
that ensures you're getting what you want...and guarantees its value. Many
companies offer this program, you just have to ask.
If options one and two are not possible,
aggressively question the seller about the exact history of the item you want to
buy...and be completely comfortable that you are dealing with an honest broker.
We've talked to a lot of convicted forgers and they say that they really don't
like being asked to explain the provenance of their forgeries. ALWAYS ASK FOR A
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE AND A RECEIPT.
Get your items evaluated by professional
authenticators. And we don't mean the bogus authenticators that convicted
forgers set up to hide behind. Even independent, legitimate authenticators can
be fooled from time to time, but they are your best bet to keep from being
cheated.
Last but not least--and you know
this: If the price is too good to be true, your treasure is probably a forgery.
Like those three baseballs we found "autographed" by Mother Teresa....
Here is another article from the FBI about Operation
Bullpen, which discovered that over half of the memorabilia sold are forgeries.
Please read the details of their investigation into the sports memorabilia fraud
industry. This entire article can be found on the FBI website at
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/oct03/bull101503.htm.
Yogi Berra once
said, "If people don't want to come out to the ball park, nobody's going to stop
them." When it comes to ball park rip offs, though, you can bet that the FBI is
going to try to stop them.
Ever been tempted
to buy a Mark McGwire autographed baseball?
You're not alone. The world
of autographed sports and celebrity memorabilia is huge --a $1 billion a year
industry. Unfortunately, at least half of the items that are sold are forgeries,
even many that come with certificates of authenticity...which are also forged.
Over half!
That's good reason to
hesitate before taking advantage of that once-in-a-lifetime deal you think
you're getting, whether it's an autographed baseball, bat, trading card, poster,
hat, helmet, or sports jersey.
Operation
Bullpen.
Back in the mid 1990s, FBI
agents in Chicago started investigating what they thought was a local case of
forged autographs of Chicago sports stars. But it turned out not to be local at
all: arrests were made in 5 states before "Operation Foul Ball" was over.
That case led to Operation
Bullpen, part 1: a two-year undercover operation that led to 26 convictions (to
date) and the recovery, in 5 different states, of $500,000 in cash and some $10
million worth of forged memorabilia. One of the criminals had joked, "Mickey
Mantle still has one arm out of the grave to sign autographs."
Operation Bullpen, part 2,
recently concluded, with strong assists from IRS, celebrities, and major
businesses. It targeted fake sports and celebrity autographs, many marketed
through e-Bay and memorabilia dealers -- and involved investigations in 10
different FBI field offices. Sixteen convictions (so far). And many innings left
in the game.
Bottom
line.
When you see that
irresistible autograph of Red Sox Manny Ramirez... Yankee Jason Giambi...Marlin
Ivan Rodriguez... or Cub Sammy Sosa.... Well, you just might want to step back
from the plate for a minute... to keep from striking
out.
