Cherrystone Auction - Mnh Columbian Set

Don -

Philip Ryle also sells under the ebay name of collect-coins and BLP.


Here's the latest post to that cartel thread, dated Aug 23, 2016:

"Pale Rider wrote:
Ryle just posted stamps on another new account name: collect04

Well spotted. Same old tricks. Here is one for the record:

crooked ebay seller "collect04" defrauding stamp community with this GIBRALTAR overprint:
Item # 272345557076
url: http://www.ebay.com/itm/272345557076
Image

ebay seller "collect04"digitally manipulating scans to deceive potential buyers:
Image

Note how the reverse scan lower perfs have been digitally touched-up to appear straight and even.

I guess you do this to cover up your sloppy re-gumming.

"collect04" has a psychological strategy to show you a scan of the reverse that appears all good and fine; he wants that image to stick in your head when you go to bid on the stamp.

By the time you get the stamp in the mail the reverse scan is no longer in the description as "collect04" has deleted the link to it from his server.

And you may think, "it is not quite what I remember, but the front of the scan seems to match up, so I guess it is the same stamp I remember".

Note that Ryle never puts a scan of the reverse in the ebay provided "12 free photos"; he wouldn't want his scam to be discovered by the unwary.

Tip of the Day for buying on ebay: Treat as suspect a seller who places the reverse of the scan in the description body only and not the eBay-provided space. "collect04" is not the only ebay seller who defrauds ebay customers in this way.

Second Tip of the Day: Treat as suspect any ebay seller (like collect04), who is a registered seller in the UK, but marks the item location as the USA."

Understood. Yes, the things you mention make it fairly easy to spot this issue.

This is also why on Stamp Smarter we take screen shots of every listing and archive the images (NYstamps does the same thing). There are now have thousands of archived images. I try to capture the back images but sometimes do not take the time to do so.

I get emails every week or two from folks who have been taken by some of these Great Britain listings. If anyone feels they have been taken by a seller in GB, and missed the opportunity to return the items due to the time it took to get them certified, they can try this link http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ They are already familiar with online stamp listing fraud and will assist hobbyists with pursuing a legal remedy.
Don

I recently saw another funny thing in ebay..

A seller was attempting to sell a 1992 Columbian $5.00 as a #245... at $900...

Return policy: No Returns accepted.

No one is that stupid to make that listing.

Don makes a good point. I make a habit of making a screen print copy of the sales listing, scans, and description for every on-line purchase over $100, - just in case there's an issue and the original description/photos, etc. "disappear". I Haven't needed them yet, but better safe than sorry.

I do the same with everything I send for certification - front and back, but there mostly for insurance purposes. Any submissions are sent with a signature required. A little more money for a lot more protection.

A word to the wise........and yes, some people are unfortunately that stupid. Some poor soul will bid on that "new" $5 Columbian - unless ebay pulls it down in time.

The graded set of Columbians sold for $16,000 + 15% for a total of $18,400.

How? To the floor, the phone, the internet, or the book?