Attempted Registry card hijacking - has this happened to you?

liffeystynx

Just got TWO e-mails from PSA asking me to delete a low-pop card from my 1967 Topps Baseball sets because someone is trying to add it to theirs. Not only have I not sold this card, I have no intention of selling it. I sent off a scan of the card with today’s newspaper like in the movies but I then got to wondering – do PSA punish people who try this sort of thing repeatedly (as opposed to occasionally, “by accident”). Anyone else had experience of either side of this problem?

Thanks,
Jonathan

JasP24

I've had it happen to me a few times. If you just ignore the e-mail, the collector trying to ADD the card has to send the scan to PSA. I've only had to send a scan with dated newspaper behind it once when PSA got a scan from someone else of one of my cards.

Unless I hear something from PSA asking for a scan, I don't waste time sending them one. I know I have the card and the other guy can't add it unless it is deleted from my set first.

Jason

SOM

Uh, I was a culprit on this very issue the last week or so. But, it was my own fault: I kept plugging in a "6" from the cert code instead of an "8." The card was not a low-pop 1967, though; what was mixed up were #265 Burdette (mine) with #260 Lefebvre (someone else's). It's all correct now.

When this happens, after trying to enter the incorrect card number twice, and not hearing from PSA or a collector, I go back and look at the cert # again.

Sure enough, it's usually my error.

Gulp! Sorry!

Nick

bxb

Hi Jonathan,

This has happened to me a few times too.

Usually it is an honest person punching in the wrong numbers by mistake, rather than an attempted hijacking.

Don't worry about the alarmist PSA email form letter.

I agree with the comment to just ignore it - as long as you have the card, no harm will come.

Enjoy,

Larry

liffeystynx

Thanks, guys. As you surmise, predictable first-timer's panicked reaction!

I agree with Nick, though. Those 6s on the PSA flips are very easy to read as 8s. I've spotted a number of incorrect card #s in eBay auction titles due to that very confusion.

... and there are two 6s and one 8 in the cert number of this card, so maybe that's the innocent explanation...

Jonathan

FB

I've suggested to the Set Registry Team that they may want to have the programmers make a slight upgrade to their system regarding this...

Rather than just having the system generate a background email that goes out to another registry member asking them to remove a card from their system - and sending us the generic "this card is currrently registered in another PSA Set" - that instead - it should generate a message back to the person trying to insert stating "Cert #12345678 - 1967 Lou Burdette Card #xxx PSA 9" is currently registered in another PSA set" - would you like to continue with this insertion?" Yes or No?

A Yes answer would send out the various emails to get the other person to remove it while a No would cancel the transaction because you realizeat this point that the cert you were INTENDING to enter was on a 1967 Mark Belanger Rookie in PSA 7. I think that it would save a lot of this type of issue by just telling you what the card behind the cert really is.

Most of us assume that we've typed correctly. But, in the end - most of these issues are because we didn't...

Frank

ArnyVee

I've had this happen before and I've ignored the requests and put the burden of proof on the 'attempted hijacker'. That's another reason why I don't have back scans on my listings/registry pics either.

liffeystynx

Frank,

That seems like an eminently sensible suggestion which would cut down on a lot of needless aggravation and save time & trouble all round. Did you get any response to your suggestion?

Hope you’re keeping well,
Jonathan

Ravens124

I've had problems with this a few times in the past month. My Dad is working on his 1955 Bowman BB set and when I add the cards to the registry someone else has the card on there registry set.

I just send the scans and the serial number to PSA and within a few days I can add the cards to the set.
I just wish people would remember to delete the cards from there set before they sell them on EBAY. I'm sure it's
not to difficult with a few clicks of the mouse and a few key punches to delete the freakin card from the set know is it?

FB

Jonathan,

The response that I got was "I'll pass it along" and see what people think. Hopefully, someone on the registry staff sees it and realizes that it will save them many, MANY needless emails and would be worthwhile to do. Until then I'm sure that it remain status quo.

So - we'll see.

Frank