Buyer Beware - Fake Washington/Franklins

Hi All,

I wasn't sure how to get the word out, so I figured this would be a good start. I recently discovered a certain seller on eBay/HipStamp is selling less expensive Scott #s modified to look like more valuable ones. I purchased 17 stamps total (around 2K) and every single one of them came back from PSE as either having fake perforations or a fake watermark. I'm sure the others currently there will be fake also.

They refunded me for some, others they just ignore me since it has been more than 60 days with the PSE turnaround time. The seller is abigaisteel3 on ebay and abigailstamps on HipStamp. Below is a link to an Excel file showing all of them along with the certificate/associated product page. I hope this keeps someone from making my mistake.

https://cvclnv-my.sharepoint.com/:x..._Fg?e=9ZHVwi

A search for this seller on ebay came back null

That name in the advanced search box does not produce a seller by that name. Can you check your spelling?


Edit to quote return received:

I've had my suspicions about this seller in the past...they listed a Scott 2136, 25¢ Bread Wagon coil, imperf between and something about the perforations looked off to me. After that, I avoided all of their offerings.

The spelling is right?

https://www.ebay.com/str/abigailstamps

And this is HS store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/abigailstamps

While Ivcody17's link works to get to the presumed seller and I note 100% positive feedback for the seller which or you link is "abigaisteel3"

OP, Ivcody17, did you post feedback? There is no negative nor neutral feed back as well as feedback indicating altered stamps per a certificate.

My feedback was auto-posted as positive until I realized, and not able to revise. If you look at HS store, you will see I left as many negative feedback as I could as well as sending reports to them.

I submitted reports to ebay as well, but they only do so much after a period of time.

I understand what you are pointing out regarding feedback, and typically I agree. Maybe one fake slips through unintentionally, but every single one of them? That's purposeful. I think most just dont take the time to send them in for certificate.

I have not had to deal with this, but in this thread:
https://goscf.com/t/84584&whichpage=1#782003
A post by shermae about halfway down the page notes:



Beyond that, the most obvious lesson about Washington/Franklins is to never buy premium items without certificates, regardless of the seller.

Anybody who buys flat plate US coils without a certificate is asking for trouble.

Yeah I feel really dumb about it, I should have known better, live and learn.

Have you reported the seller to the APS? If he or she is a member and with your documentation, most likely they will end up with either a suspension or, better yet, expulsion from the society. If this scenario were to run its course, the results of any APS ethics committee conclusions and actions taken will be announced in The American Philatelist for all to see.

I have seen several sellers selling altered or counterfeit stamps on ebay. This seller in question is not the only one out there. I agree if buying better Washington/Franklins it is best to buy one that already has been certified. Then I would check the authenticity of the certificate.

Is there a $ threshold at which one should start looking for certs? Or is that variable depending on particular stamps, e.g. Washington/Franklins?

So for example, say for the 30c or 50c and up of the Columbian Expo stamps from 1893?

For me, if I spend $50 on a stamp, I consider that premium. But I have a feeling it isn't realistic to be expecting certs at that level.

Just wondering if there are good rules of thumb?

I've watched this seller since he first started appearing on ebay and have always been suspect of all the W/F stamps. I've never bought from him because of that. He's not the only one. There are others to watch for who occasionally list suspect W/F, perhaps unintended, perhaps not. If you see a W/F listed too cheap, compared to cat. value, it probably has an issue(s), and even with a price at or about cat. you should be cautious. Coil and Imperfs are a mine field. Buying coils at a show where one has "hands on'" inspection is best. Certified W/Fs on line from reputable sellers is pretty safe.