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MUST READ for those who buy bgs cards or cards just in general....

I just got back from a show today at hofstra in long island & heard a story today which turns my stomach.

i met guy today who was scammed for more then $30k. yes $30,000 dollars!!

let me tell you the story:

i was going to pay for 2 cards i wanted from this dealer at the end of the show today & was walking by another dealers table who is a friend of mine. he was talking to another dealer accross from him & i noticed a whole lot of bgs 9.5's raw card reviews. i said wow great cards. the dealer said not really. i said yea ok.

the bgs 9.5 raw card reviews were:
1984 usfl young
1986 topps rice
1981 topps montana
2001 bow gold refrac reyes
(2) 1994 sp arods
1994 sp die cut arod
1994 score call up arod
(2) 1994 gold leaf phenoms arod
1993 sp jeter

plus another 15-20 great cards.

so the scam is: last month at the white plains show these 2 guys (that if you do shows on the east coast u def know) approached a dealer with a raw card review & offered it to him at 65% book. the dealer agreed to buy it. since beckett was at the show grading the dealer saw nothing wrong. he was told they just got the card reviewed & wanted to sell it. so the dealer bought it. the dealer & the scammers exchanged #'s becuase the dealer was told by the 2 scammers that they had a lot of cards in being reviewed. the 2 scammers told dealer to have a lot of cash ready beacue they would sell to him 1st.
the 2 scammers called the dealer on sunday the last day of the show & asked dealer to come outside to meet them since they picked up there cards from beckett & were leaving. the dealer went outside & saw all these amazing cards listed up top & purchased them all. over $30k!

this how the scam works. they submitted on friday 30 2006 topps cards which are so easy to gem. they had someone else submit them to bgs since they were banned by them for trimmming & altering cards. yes banned from beckett! so after they got these bgs review cards back they went home & this where 2 losers screw a good person.

they slice open the side of the raw card review with a razor & slip the 2006 topps card out & slip in one of the cards listed above. then crazy glue the holder back together.

the dealer then sells some of the raw card reviews off to another dealer. the new buyer then brings them home & while handling one of them he realizes that one opened on the side. he feels it & it has something on the side of it, in his words "it felt like glue". then looks at the other ones & he realizes there all the same.

he calls the dealer who he bought them from & he tells him whats going on. the original buyer is at a lost more ways then one. they contact beckett & now the law law is involved.

needless to say i know the scammers. one of them went to my high school here in nj. i dont want to post there names but one of them had a bgs 10 topps mattingly up a couple weeks ago.


its a disgrace to this industry where people invest there
hard earned money. i hope there prosecuted to fullest extent of the law.
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Comments

  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭✭
    I'm a Jersey guy too. Tell me where these dirtbags live so I can go pummel them!
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."


  • << <i>I'm a Jersey guy too. Tell me where these dirtbags live so I can go pummel them! >>



    Get em Shag, Jersey style

    joe
  • there from central jersey!
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092
    What do you mean by a "card review"? Do you mean they were in BGS slabs?

    Lee
  • Holy Crap ~!
  • StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭


    << <i>What do you mean by a "card review"? Do you mean they were in BGS slabs?

    Lee >>



    I think BGS will review a card and assign it a grade they think it would get, but it is not slabbed, but placed in a cardsaver type holder with the sticker w/grade stuck on the cardsaver.
  • That's the buyers stupidity then if that's the case . . .
    red flags woulda went up in my head right away . . . .starting with the price .
  • And even if they were slabbed . . .
    for 30 K!
    I'm fully inspecting every little inch !
    30 k don't grow on trees .
  • That really stinks though for the guy . .
    I shouldn't say stupidity . . I should have said ignorance .
  • gosteelersgosteelers Posts: 2,668 ✭✭✭
    Who are the dealers so nobody else gets burned by these crooks?
  • I would agree. Why even mention it and not even give up the ebay handle. You said they sold a Mattingly recently. Please give us the heads up...or at lest PM us. I'd hate to get scammed by those guys AFTER reading this post.
  • Definitely
  • Matter of fact if you know of a crime commited . . . you have to say
  • It's one thing if you suspect . . .
    Completely different when you know .
    We're the potential buyers .
  • I'm from central NJ... who are these guys? I don't want to be their next victim
  • "this how the scam works. they submitted on friday 30 2006 topps cards which are so easy to gem. they had someone else submit them to bgs since they were banned by them for trimmming & altering cards. yes banned from beckett! so after they got these bgs review cards back they went home & this where 2 losers screw a good person. "

    Am I the only one schocked by this statement? I never knew Beckett banned people from trimming and altering cards. I wish PSA will follow suite but then again .....shoe.less.jack?
    image
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,582 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Probably the same gang who kidnapped Lindbergh's baby.
  • envoy98envoy98 Posts: 4,000 ✭✭


    << <i>"this how the scam works. they submitted on friday 30 2006 topps cards which are so easy to gem. they had someone else submit them to bgs since they were banned by them for trimmming & altering cards. yes banned from beckett! so after they got these bgs review cards back they went home & this where 2 losers screw a good person. "

    Am I the only one schocked by this statement? I never knew Beckett banned people from trimming and altering cards. I wish PSA will follow suite but then again .....shoe.less.jack? >>



    Shoe.less.jack?

    He used to do all BGS stuff, then suddenly showed up on ebay with a bunch of PSA slabs. We know where he got his money, not sure if he's slipping anything by PSA or not.
    FYI, he is also an advertiser in the SMR, so choose your words carefully or this thread, and potentially you, could go *poof*.

    As for the scammers, I'm not one bit surprised. I still don't know why you don't hear of this a lot more often. I heard people joking about it at the Nationals in Chicago a couple of years ago. At least when GAI does the pre-grade, they won't let you take the cards. If you want them holdered they don't leave their sight. You can look at your pregrades and decide what you want holdered but there is no chance of someone slipping something else in there at least.

  • fandangofandango Posts: 2,622
    beckett and trimmed, beckett and altered... words that go hand in hand....i am not surprised in the least bit...that raw card review by BGS is about as shady and useful as BCCG....just another reason to stay away from anything beckett related....especially bigtime beckett sellers on ebay, they have the racket down pat! just an awful idea to do raw card review without identifying the card on the "holder"

    itsinthe grade, maybe now you will shift your business to PSA for good...
  • GonblottGonblott Posts: 1,951 ✭✭


    << <i>I just got back from a show today at hofstra in long island & heard a story today which turns my stomach.

    i met guy today who was scammed for more then $30k. yes $30,000 dollars!!

    let me tell you the story:

    i was going to pay for 2 cards i wanted from this dealer at the end of the show today & was walking by another dealers table who is a friend of mine. he was talking to another dealer accross from him & i noticed a whole lot of bgs 9.5's raw card reviews. i said wow great cards. the dealer said not really. i said yea ok.

    the bgs 9.5 raw card reviews were:
    1984 usfl young
    1986 topps rice
    1981 topps montana
    2001 bow gold refrac reyes
    (2) 1994 sp arods
    1994 sp die cut arod
    1994 score call up arod
    (2) 1994 gold leaf phenoms arod
    1993 sp jeter

    plus another 15-20 great cards.

    so the scam is: last month at the white plains show these 2 guys (that if you do shows on the east coast u def know) approached a dealer with a raw card review & offered it to him at 65% book. the dealer agreed to buy it. since beckett was at the show grading the dealer saw nothing wrong. he was told they just got the card reviewed & wanted to sell it. so the dealer bought it. the dealer & the scammers exchanged #'s becuase the dealer was told by the 2 scammers that they had a lot of cards in being reviewed. the 2 scammers told dealer to have a lot of cash ready beacue they would sell to him 1st.
    the 2 scammers called the dealer on sunday the last day of the show & asked dealer to come outside to meet them since they picked up there cards from beckett & were leaving. the dealer went outside & saw all these amazing cards listed up top & purchased them all. over $30k!

    this how the scam works. they submitted on friday 30 2006 topps cards which are so easy to gem. they had someone else submit them to bgs since they were banned by them for trimmming & altering cards. yes banned from beckett! so after they got these bgs review cards back they went home & this where 2 losers screw a good person.

    they slice open the side of the raw card review with a razor & slip the 2006 topps card out & slip in one of the cards listed above. then crazy glue the holder back together.

    the dealer then sells some of the raw card reviews off to another dealer. the new buyer then brings them home & while handling one of them he realizes that one opened on the side. he feels it & it has something on the side of it, in his words "it felt like glue". then looks at the other ones & he realizes there all the same.

    he calls the dealer who he bought them from & he tells him whats going on. the original buyer is at a lost more ways then one. they contact beckett & now the law law is involved.

    needless to say i know the scammers. one of them went to my high school here in nj. i dont want to post there names but one of them had a bgs 10 topps mattingly up a couple weeks ago.


    its a disgrace to this industry where people invest there
    hard earned money. i hope there prosecuted to fullest extent of the law. >>





    Hey man, do you live on Long Island? I live in Suffolk not too far from Hofstra and have been to the show many times. PM there names and I'll make sure I don't buy from there table!
  • Central NJ here too.
    I can hunt him down.....
  • RipublicaninMassRipublicaninMass Posts: 10,051 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Central NJ here too.
    . >>




    Really>? What exit>lol
  • hey guys i dont want ot get in any leagal trouble by posting there names but if you go to shows in parsippany, garfield, white plains, fort wash & reading you know them or saw them. i know someone had to see the bgs 10 mattingly?


  • << <i>hey guys i dont want ot get in any leagal trouble by posting there names but if you go to shows in parsippany, garfield, white plains, fort wash & reading you know them or saw them. i know someone had to see the bgs 10 mattingly? >>



    I havent seen a BGS 10 Mattingly because I dont look for them, but by not coming clean, guys like this will be doing the same trick at the next show.
    Better get your a-- in gear and start doing something about it.....
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    I just checked ebay advance search and did not see any bgs 10 mattinglys







    Steve
    Good for you.
  • Holy Crap! Hoftstra ?
    And my nephew didn't even let me know there was a show ?
    Suffolk country Long Island here .
    Ray . . . you're gettin a beattin !
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭
    I'm sorry but if you know for a fact this is going on, you need to out these guys.

    Throwing accusations, without providing necessary details, is reckless and irresponsible IMO.
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
  • "Raw card review"s are an idiotic invention by BGS to swindle others. They should abolish this abhorent and greedy practice.
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭
    "Throwing accusations, without providing necessary details, is reckless and irresponsible IMO."

    Completely. The thread title is misleading as well. In your story, the buyer did not buy BGS graded cards and it has little to do with cards in general.

    I hope you dont take this wrong. What you have given us is little more then warning to have common sense. Without names, and add the fact the PSA 10 Mattingly does not show up on my search, it is hard to take this over what I would a warning about Nigerian scams...with no details.

    Mark

    PS: Be careful about Nigerian scams on the internet. image
    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "PS: Be careful about Nigerian scams on the internet. "

    ///////////////////////////////////////

    On EBAY, the best way to keep those guys away is
    to use the "immediate payment required" feature.

    That set of crooks is still working mostly in laptops.
    They mostly target new sellers, who are trying to
    sell their personal computers.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,242 ✭✭✭
    If you don't want to post the names on a public forum, maybe to those guys via PM or email who are interested.
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092
    I know this guy that beats up old ladies and kidnaps children, but I don't want to upset him by putting his name in a public forum.

    Lee
  • i was told by the kid who was scammed & the dealer who bought the bogus card there names are jason & george. i hope this helps
  • pandrewspandrews Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I know this guy that beats up old ladies and kidnaps children, but I don't want to upset him by putting his name in a public forum.

    Lee >>



    image

    image
    ·p_A·
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭


    << <i>i was told by the kid who was scammed & the dealer who bought the bogus card there names are jason & george. i hope this helps >>



    So wait, a KID was scammed out of 30k?!?

    Per your original post:



    << <i>i met guy today who was scammed for more then $30k. yes $30,000 dollars!!..

    the original buyer is at a lost more ways then one. >>



    And you know the scammers?!?



    << <i>needless to say i know the scammers. one of them went to my high school here in nj. >>



    Not saying I doubt you but something isn't adding up...
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts


  • << <i>

    << <i>i was told by the kid who was scammed & the dealer who bought the bogus card there names are jason & george. i hope this helps >>



    So wait, a KID was scammed out of 30k?!?

    Per your original post:



    << <i>i met guy today who was scammed for more then $30k. yes $30,000 dollars!!..

    the original buyer is at a lost more ways then one. >>



    And you know the scammers?!?



    << <i>needless to say i know the scammers. one of them went to my high school here in nj. >>



    Not saying I doubt you but something isn't adding up... >>



    contact beckett if you doubt me. jason is from union nj.
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭
    "contact beckett if you doubt me." With what information?

    Here is something simple, tell us the name of who filed charges against who. This information, if true, is public information and the release of such is not something someone could possibly win a law suit against you.

    Mark
    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • bri2327bri2327 Posts: 3,178 ✭✭
    Im 15 minutes from Hofstra. Is the show going on anymore or was it just over the weekend ?
    "The other teams could make trouble for us if they win."
    -- Yogi Berra

    image


  • << <i>"contact beckett if you doubt me." With what information?

    Here is something simple, tell us the name of who filed charges against who. This information, if true, is public information and the release of such is not something someone could possibly win a law suit against you.

    Mark >>



    mark,

    there names are jason & george. i dont know the guy who orginally bought the cards. i know the 2nd buyer & he doesnt me to post his name. so i'm not & please dont ask or try to say its not true then becuase i'm not posting it.
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭
    So you are confirming that a "kid" got scammed for $30K and you know said scammers?

    Rather than spreading gossip on forums, how about you spend your time trying to nail this dirtbags.
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
  • It is a true story, i had heard about it before white plains... beckett caught it very early...
    www.sportsnutcards.com
    Specializing in Certified Autograph Cards, Rookies, Rare Inserts and other quality modern cards! Over 8000 Cards in stock now! Come visit our physical store located at 1210 Main St. Belmar ,NJ
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭
    "i know (don't) the 2nd buyer & he doesnt me to post his name. so i'm not & please dont ask or try to say its not true then becuase i'm not posting it."

    Another comment that doesn't quite make sense. No one asked for the name of the 2nd buyer, who if your story is correct, your "kid" friend has no legal right to go after the 1st seller. He would have to go after the dealer, who could then go after the first seller. Assuming the dealer did not give a refund, but if he did, then your friend was not really ripped off, and if he didn't, then he didn't really lose $30,000.

    It is amazing a dealer would buy a Steve Young rookie, as a BGS 9.5, and not look at it, besides several of those other cards, which are quite condition sensitive.

    Almost as amazing as a dealer spending $30,000 on the cards and not noticing the glue your kid friend noticed so easily.

    Mind if I ask a couple questions?

    Why have you not posted this on the Beckett site?

    How come you went to school with one of the guys, but don't seem to know his name now?


    Mark
    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭
    "It is a true story, i had heard about it before white plains... beckett caught it very early..."

    Why I am sure such has happened before, how did you hear about something that happened at the show before the show?

    Mark

    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.


  • << <i>"i know (don't) the 2nd buyer & he doesnt me to post his name. so i'm not & please dont ask or try to say its not true then becuase i'm not posting it."

    Another comment that doesn't quite make sense. No one asked for the name of the 2nd buyer, who if your story is correct, your "kid" friend has no legal right to go after the 1st seller. He would have to go after the dealer, who could then go after the first seller. Assuming the dealer did not give a refund, but if he did, then your friend was not really ripped off, and if he didn't, then he didn't really lose $30,000.

    It is amazing a dealer would buy a Steve Young rookie, as a BGS 9.5, and not look at it, besides several of those other cards, which are quite condition sensitive.

    Almost as amazing as a dealer spending $30,000 on the cards and not noticing the glue your kid friend noticed so easily.

    Mind if I ask a couple questions?

    Why have you not posted this on the Beckett site?

    How come you went to school with one of the guys, but don't seem to know his name now?


    Mark >>



    mark,
    the kid is 4 years younger then me so i dont know his last name. also believe me or not i dont really care because it really happened.

    also i dont post on that baby board anymore!
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,582 ✭✭✭✭✭
    <<< PS: Be careful about Nigerian scams on the internet. >>>

    Now you tell me!? I had been working closely with this guy Amul from Nigeria and gave him my bank information so he could transfer ten million dollars of his money out of Nigeria which he said was earned from many years of tending to his herd of goats. I became suspicious when noticing that someone had used my PayPal account to purchase $5,000 worth of African ornamental jewelry.
  • They were caught replacing cards and submitting them before white plains. As of that show, they were banned from BGS, so any inventory they had would have been obtained before the show.
    www.sportsnutcards.com
    Specializing in Certified Autograph Cards, Rookies, Rare Inserts and other quality modern cards! Over 8000 Cards in stock now! Come visit our physical store located at 1210 Main St. Belmar ,NJ
  • This just makes me sick...
  • These boys are gettin' some Doc Marten dental work . . .
  • sagardsagard Posts: 1,898 ✭✭✭
    So BGS in their infinate wisdom doesn't even identify what card is in the raw card review holder? Brilliant!
  • CubbyCubby Posts: 2,096
    I have never bought a Beckett RCR card, and now never will.


    BTW: Cubby=Cub Fan
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