fun with an eBay scam artist ( wam_productions )

NickM · January 1, 2004 5:33PM

Seller wam_productions, who manages to be a Square Trade Seal Member despite a feedback percentage of 95.3%, has 2 really bad fake autographs of Mickey Mantle on 8x10s currently for sale on eBay (Item 3263031224 and Item 3263035184).

If you're at all curious about Mantle's actual signature, take a look at some of the Mantle PSA/DNA materials up for sale - it doesn't take long to see that the writing pattern is very different.

I sent the following email through "Ask seller a question"

Your Mantle "autographed" photos are clearly not Mickey Mantle's actual signature. They are poor forgeries. Take them down now.

The scammer was nice enough to send 2 emails back with their contact info as a sig file.

The contact info is:

DEE LYNN MAXEY
WAM PRODUCTIONS
P.O BOX 865131
PLANO TEXAS 75086

The scammer's email info is

DEE lynn MAXEY <texasstar1836@yahoo.com>

The text of the scammer's first email is:

we do not email jerks jerk

The text of the scammer's second email is

where is id joplin ? if you know this then you know the big secret

I sent back the following response:

Congratulations. Your two bizarre emails did not even dispute that you are selling forged autographs on eBay.

I am sending a full account of this, with your contact information and links to your auctions of forged Mickey Mantle autographs, to widely read message boards and listservs for sports cards and memorabilia. Your actions as a criminal scam artist will be forever searchable on Google and other major search engines. In fact, it may well become the first thing people see when they type your eBay user name into a search engine.

May you have the New Year that you deserve.

We'll see what sort of response I get.

Nick

DeutscherGeist · January 1, 2004 6:19PM

NickM,

Apart from admiring your HOF polls for Gooden, Mattingly, Cone, this really tops a lot of threads. I wish more people would do this--calling scam artists on their activity. I admit, this creates a lot of enemies, but if there are more vigilantes out there, then good will triumph over evil.

34GoudeyCollector · January 1, 2004 6:25PM

Way to call them out NickM! Sad to say though that for everyone that's called out, there are hundreds more getting away with their crap.

Ken

DeutscherGeist · January 1, 2004 6:29PM

This is the email I sent him:

Dear Sir,

I have been comparing the Mickey Mantle autograph to ones that have been authenticated, including by companies like PSA/DNA. The autograph looks suspect. Are you sure your own source was reliable? You may want to check where it originated from because this is not authentic by a long shot. See if there is any recourse. Make the signature comparisions yourself and you will see what I mean.

Best of luck!

Kaufvergnuegen

>>I will be posting the response as soon as I get it. I wrote a polite email, so let's see if this character gets defensive.

habs71 · January 1, 2004 6:59PM

<< <i>...Square Trade Seal Member... >>

That carries as much weight with me as the Power Seller designation......NIL!

Skip

beefcake210 · January 1, 2004 9:28PM

I tend to be a little wary of sellers who can't spell the name of the player's item that they are selling.

rjeff34 · January 1, 2004 10:37PM

<< <i>Hi, I noticed you have a Mickey Mantle autographed photo for sale on ebay. (at least I think it is Mickey Mantle - "Mantel" is the same as Mantle, correct???) I noticed that the price of this photo is very cheap. ($9.99 with a few hours left on a 7 day auction and no bids) Shouldn't Mantle autos go for a lot more than that? I am ready to buy as many of them as you have if I can get them for around $40 each. Can you guarantee their authenticity? Do they come with a Certificate of Authenticity from a major company like Steiner or could you include a certificate from your personal company guaranteeing them for me? I have seen a number of other Mantle sigs and they differ slightly...I know all people sign a little different sometimes so maybe this is the case. I look forward to your response and hope I can purchase some things from you. >>

my question to seller is sent, wonder if I get a reply

Vargha · January 1, 2004 10:49PM

I tend to be a little wary of sellers who can't spell the name of the player's item that they are selling.

And that's really the whole point, isn't it? The guy is selling genuine Mantel autographs. I see nothing wrong with that.

Cubfan · January 2, 2004 12:02AM

And I believe it is pronounced man-TELL.

riccaboni · January 2, 2004 1:49AM

Perhaps he's selling autographs from former Pro Wrestler Dutch Mantell?

-Ian

(Edited to replace huge photo with tiny photo

)

NickM · January 2, 2004 3:51AM

Well, apparently I struck a nerve. Here is their response:

what a nut we all sending your email to our lawyer and ebay we got this at a sale we have know nothing about it. so you are work up for a law suit be ware

Here's my latest response:

Please send all of my emails and your responses to eBay and to your lawyer. I will very much enjoy that. I am sure your lawyer will be very happy to know that you are threatening frivolous lawsuits. Please be advised that in the event of a lawsuit I intend to use the nationally known expert authenticators at PSA/DNA to prove that your "Mickey Mantle autographs" are poor forgeries. Ask your lawyer what liability you may face, both civil and criminal, for selling forged autographs. Also ask him about "Operation Bullpen".

By the way, you are also welcome to submit the "Mickey Mantle autographs" to PSA/DNA for authentication yourself.
I think you know as well as I do what they would say.

I was considering whether to suggest that he acquire a dictionary, but decided against it.

Nick
Nick

riccaboni · January 2, 2004 3:54AM

Looks like he pulled the plug on the auctions?

Good work guys, is there any action we can take so that this guy does not get off selling any more forged autographs?
Perhaps someone should save the picture of the picture and we would be in business.

-Ian

riccaboni · January 2, 2004 3:58AM

A quick review of his feedback reveals that he has "lost" a lot of the books he sells and then mysteriously finds them a month later.

Sounds like a deadbeat seller to me,

-Ian

NickM · January 2, 2004 4:14AM

Here is his (I presume Dee is a he) latest:

it's done we have been here a very long time sir and unless you got money back off

Here's my response:

I doubt you ran that message by your lawyer. You have implied that you know that any lawsuit you file would be unmeritorious and designed for the purpose of harassing a defendant who might have less resources than you do. There are very few things more beneficial to a defendant than the plaintiff's admission that the lawsuit constitutes malicious prosecution.

Unless you desire to give me a lot of your money, you may wish to back off.

I don't think Dee remembers the first rule of holes.

Nick

pandrews · January 2, 2004 4:40AM

LMAO!

(about the Dutch Mantel pic).. i remember that dude..

DeutscherGeist · January 2, 2004 6:54AM

His English is of poor quality. NickM, I am not sure he really understands what you write nor what he writes. He has hung himself more than once.

riccaboni · January 2, 2004 7:03AM

I know children my age who talk in that kind of grammar. My guess is that he is foreign/recently moved here or that he is about 13-17 years old.

-Ian

Mantlefan · January 2, 2004 3:38PM

Even worse than a forged Mantle.... a forged Little Red #19. That's not Little Red's auto!!

Little Red #19 signed "pottry"

pc · January 2, 2004 3:46PM

<< <i>DeutscherGeist wrote

.... I wish more people would do this... I admit, this creates a lot of enemies, but if there are more vigilantes out there, then good will triumph over evil.

lighten up on the "v"agner there adolph.

wolfbear · January 2, 2004 7:48PM

pc- good one !

Even though the Germans have deserted us,
we can always count on the French to stand behind us ...

boggs301012 · January 3, 2004 7:02AM

questionable auto

There will always be items like this auto. I would but it for .50 and free shipping. Very sad world I could fake a better auto . Take an unsigned pic (worth 3.00) now it is worth ? The Cheap buy it now sets off alarms. But the Auto is horrible.

James

ranch · January 3, 2004 7:33AM

Maybe Mickey was drunk when he signed it? He was an alcoholic, remember?

pandrews · January 3, 2004 8:01AM

<< <i>Maybe Mickey was drunk when he signed it? He was an alcoholic, remember?

>>

i actually saw Dale Earnhardt sign something "Dalle Earnhardt" with my own two eyes a few years ago.. i felt like the person who got it would have a hard time proving it to be authentic because of the "Dalle".. some of us talked about it back then and a buddy of mine said that Dales breath ranked of alcohol at the time.. heh.. but I saw him sign it and not give a second thought to the fact he spelled his name wrong.

DeutscherGeist · January 3, 2004 11:26AM

PC,

The personal attack is uncalled for. I don't appreciate it. If you cannot say something nice, just don't say anything. No one says you need to read my comments or I yours.

fun with an eBay scam artist ( wam_productions )

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