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Hall of Shame
Dodgy Auction Hall of Shame
In May 2002, Saratoga Ring seller pcheltenham sells U.S. 1851-57 1-cent stamp with
hand-drawn design alterations for $2,524.99 on eBay.
Dodgy Sellers Hall of Shame
The sellers listed below have come to the attention of SCADS because of various unethical or questionable
selling or listing practices, such as:
- offering stamps using images stolen from other listings or auction sites
- selling altered stamps not described as such
- repeatedly misidentifying stamps
- repeatedly offering stamps without describing faults
- when informed of misdescriptions, reacting adversely (impolite or belligerent) or ignoring advice
In most cases, these behaviours have led to their being suspended from eBay or other internet sites.
The lists below are far from complete, but they're a start. They include sellers suspended since eBay began
investigation of the Saratoga altered US stamps group in May 2003. Since then, eBay and APS have worked
together to uncover and eliminate major sellers of fraudulent stamps. eBay's Stamps Community Watch group (SCW)
and the APS review team vet questionable listings and target patterns of egregious behaviour by sellers, image
stealing scams and patterns of shill-bidding (more details here).
Click on a link to see the appropriate list.
1. Sellers of questionable, misdescribed or poorly described items (listed in
alphabetical order)
Last updated: April 2008
2. Questionable sellers suspended from eBay
Last updated: April 2008
3. Saratoga Ring alterations group buyers and sellers suspended from eBay
Last updated: May 2007
4. Image stealing scammers suspended from eBay
Last updated: Mar 2007
5. Questionable sellers suspended from other internet sites
Last updated: August 2007
1. Sellers of questionable, misdescribed or poorly described items
| Seller ID |
Comments |
| bexapunk101 |
Alternate selling and shill-bidding ID of wynstoninvest
(see below), listed as based in Fremantle, Western Australia (ID is now unavailable for look-up at
eBay, so has probably been changed) |
|
joanne620 |
Australian seller, consistently overdescribes, overvalues and
misidentifies early Australian stamps including regummed stamps not described as such, uses digital
camera for all images, sold reperforated and regummed high-value Australian stamps in private
auctions using private feedback in early 2006 (see feedback comments for May 2006) |
|
jockeralfa |
consistently misidentifies US classics, identifying the cheaper variety as
the more expensive variety, including stamps with trimmed perforations |
|
nystamps |
consistently overgrades, overvalues and misidentifies the lead stamps in
their bulk US lots,
offers US classic proofs and specimens, correctly identified as such, but shown with misleading
captions stating the catalog value for the real stamp instead |
|
pimpernal |
offers collections where the high value stamps are fakes, forgeries or
misrepresented stamps |
|
rogernorth |
repeatedly misidentifies US and other stamps, ignores advice |
2. Questionable sellers suspended from eBay
| Date Suspended |
Seller ID |
Comments |
| Apr 2008 |
vtoledo20 |
New selling ID for wynstoninvest et al since August 2007,
offered fake OS perforated Australian stamps, fake perforated SPECIMEN stamps, fake New Guinea
cancels and more. |
| Feb 2008 |
absolut_07 |
Malaysia-based seller of highly overpriced supposed "anomalies" and "color
changes" since August 2007, belligerent when questioned. |
| Jan 2008 |
prestige_stamps |
New buying ID of wynstoninvest (changed from
bexapunk101 in Jan 2008). |
| Jan 2008 |
bexapunk101 |
Alternate selling and shill-bidding ID of wynstoninvest
(see below), listed as based in Fremantle, Western Australia. Changed ID to prestige_stamps
in Jan 2008. |
| Oct 2007 |
blowoutdeals81 |
Offered US and foreign stamps without duplication in lots of 100. Included
photos of high-value stamps in listing to entice bidders. High shipping charges, poor packaging, and
stamps shipped were cheap foreign stamps with duplicates. Seems to have tried this trick with
trading cards also. |
| Aug 2007 |
azarbay*123 |
New selling ID for wynstoninvest et al since July 2007,
listed as based in Marayong NSW, offered fake OS perforated Australian stamps in private auctions
and fake "color missing" errors |
| Aug 2007 |
dmlrm2 |
Reincarnation of suspended US classics seller dmlengyel1 |
| Aug 2007 |
workingmanstamps |
Reincarnation of suspended US classics seller dmlengyel1 |
| May 2007 |
teffersyosset |
Saratoga Ring reseller, offered US classics bought from 8834david
and member98123 without describing faults or alterations,
sold altered items on consignment for the Saratoga Ring |
| Apr 2007 |
aussiestampsales |
Old ID resurrected as buying ID for wynstoninvest, active
in Apr 2007 |
| Apr 2007 |
nswstamp |
Old ID resurrected as selling ID of wynstoninvest, uses
the name David, offered fake large and small OS perforated Australian stamps, active in Apr 2007,
listed as based in south-west Sydney |
| Apr 2007 |
gregbear_61 |
Shortlived alternate selling ID of george0mighty (not to
be confused with ID "gregbear61" whose ID he was emulating) |
| Apr 2007 |
aw1940 |
New name of old ID resurrected as buying and shill-bidding ID of
wynstoninvest, active under changed name since Mar 2007 |
| Apr 2007 |
indepbrokers |
Alternate buying, selling and shill-bidding ID of wynstoninvest,
active since Dec 2006, listed as based in Mt Warrigal, NSW |
| Apr 2007 |
george0mighty |
Alternate buying, selling and shill-bidding ID of wynstoninvest,
active since Jan 2007, traded as Mighty Collectables, listed as based in south-west Sydney |
| Apr 2007 |
stampbuyers |
Old ID resurrected as shill-bidding ID on auctions of modlink2002 |
| Apr 2007 |
modlink2002 |
Old ID resurrected as selling ID of wynstoninvest, active
in Apr 2007, listed as based in Brisbane, QLD |
| Apr 2007 |
grandpa92006 |
Shortlived reincarnation of suspended US classics seller alaponza
|
| Apr 2007 |
alaponza |
Seller of US classics who consistently fails to describe defects in
stamps, including altered stamps bought from peterpaul1969,
lists almost all stamps that appear to be unused as "never hinged", ignores advice; reincarnated ID
grandpa92006 was suspended shortly afterwards |
| Apr 2007 |
wynstoninvest |
Produced forged postmarks of Australia, Papua, New Guinea, PNG and Great
Britain, forged OS (large & small) and OSNSW punctures, forged NZ Stars errors, BCOF forged
overprints in black or gold or red to order, and other overprints and cancels of other South Pacific
countries, uses sophisticated overprinting equipment, uses the name Stephen, active since Jan 2007,
listed as based in south-west Sydney |
| Mar 2007 |
jonathandean8 |
Israel-based Swiss seller, latest reincarnation of fcecollections
(suspended ID), listed covers with fake "DELAYED BY TSUNAMI" handstamps July 2005 (suspended
briefly),
listed covers with fake "MISSENT" and "DAMAGED BY SEA WATER" handstamps Nov 2006-Feb 2007) |
| Feb 2007 |
richard.schafferman |
sold replica "forgeries" in sheets of US essays and proofs reproduced from
stolen scans, as well as copies of coins, connected to sterling1177 (see below)
through having same name on scans |
| Jan 2007 |
stampsignments |
changed ID from kathscollectibles (Oct 06), reseller of
material bought from Saratoga Ring seller 8834david,
connected to ID mykidsdad1948 which also resold lots bought from 8834david
(and which no longer sells stamps) |
| Dec 2005 |
sterling_philatelic_inc |
changed ID of reinstated ID matntysdad59, used eBay Store ID
STERLING-PHILATELIC-INSTITUTE-INC, private feedback,
(was reinstated and changed ID again to
sterling1177 (Jul 06), which uses eBay Store ID STERLING-CURRENCY-AND-COIN and sells
copies of coins) |
| Nov 2005 |
matntysdad59 |
sold replica "forgeries" of US essays and proofs reproduced from stolen
scans, (reinstated Dec 05, changed ID to sterling_philatelic_inc Dec 05), then
sterling1177 (Jul 06) ) |
| Nov 2005 |
clairemontstamps |
bought, altered and resold US stamps |
| Oct 2005 |
ips_solutions |
UK seller, registered Aug 05, related to ID easy_info (see below)
|
| Oct 2005 |
easy_info |
UK seller, registered Sep 05, salted Maryland forgeries of high-value £5
stamp in private auctions of UK collections, used stolen images of back of stamp, related ID
ips_solutions also suspended |
| late 2005 |
dmlengyel1 |
misdescribed/misrepresented US stamps (reinstated Jun 05, see below Dec
04,) changed to private feedback (listed on Yahoo as dmlstamps from Dec 04 - Apr 05) |
| Jul 2005 |
stamplady99 |
misdescribed/misrepresented US stamps (reinstated Mar 05, see
below Feb 2005) |
| Feb 2005 |
clairemontstamp |
listed questionable US stamps |
| Feb 2005 |
ladephemera1 |
shortlived reincarnation of fcecollections |
| Feb 2005 |
stephen71948 |
shortlived reincarnation of fcecollections |
| Feb 2005 |
fcecollections |
Israelibased Swiss seller (formerly netta71948) listed covers with
fake handstamps (latest ID jonathandean8 selling covers with fake "DISINFECTED"
handstamps Nov 2006-Jan 2007) |
| Feb 2005 |
stamplady99 |
misdescribed/misrepresented US stamps (reinstated Mar 05) |
| Jan 2005 |
catseye4619 |
shortlived reincarnation of riny218 |
| Dec 2004 |
dmlengyel1 |
misdescribed/misrepresented US stamps (reinstated Jun 05, see above)
|
| Dec 2004 |
wikingstamp |
German seller (formerly herma07), listed forgeries as possibly
genuine |
| Dec 2004 |
heftfisch |
German seller, listed forgeries as possibly genuine |
| Nov 2004 |
terlin01 |
listed questionable US stamps |
| late 2004 |
unlimitedstamps |
alternative ID of atdinvest |
| Apr 2004 |
lotus194 |
reseller of Hialeah forgeries bought from atdinvest, also created
his own forgeries |
| Apr 2004 |
atdinvest |
manufactured Hialeah forgeries |
| Aug 2003 |
kitty418 |
shortlived reincarnation of riny218 |
| Aug 2003 |
riny218 |
represented forged, fake or altered items as possibly genuine (now listing
on Yahoo as paleface2410) |
3. Saratoga Ring alterations group buyers and sellers suspended from eBay
More information on the Saratoga Ring can be found here.
| Date Suspended |
Seller ID |
Comments |
| May 2007 |
teffersyosset |
Saratoga Ring reseller, offered US classics bought from 8834david
and member98123 without describing faults or alterations,
sold altered items on consignment for the Saratoga Ring |
| Jan 2007 |
member98123 |
latest reincarnation of altered US stamps group (Saratoga ring) - buying
ID |
| Jan 2007 |
peterpaul1969 |
latest reincarnation of altered US stamps group (Saratoga ring) - selling
ID |
| Jun 2006 |
detocakes9 |
latest reincarnation of altered US stamps group (Saratoga ring) - buying
ID and shill bidding ID |
| Jun 2006 |
8834david |
latest reincarnation of altered US stamps group (Saratoga ring) - selling
ID |
| Aug 2004 |
12trees1947 |
Saratoga altered US stamps group buying ID |
| Jun 2004 |
wackeywood |
Saratoga altered US stamps group selling ID (formerly the notorious
schuylerac then later crustaceans)
Note that the wackeywood ID has been deleted from the ebay database, so the name
will show up as blank in any feedback relating to auctions of schuylerac from
2000-2002 |
| May 2004 |
short369 |
Saratoga altered US stamps group buying ID (formerly stazy4 then
later booksnbooks4u) |
| late 2003 |
tremor111 |
Saratoga altered US stamps group buying ID |
| late 2003 |
32gyt78 |
Saratoga altered US stamps group selling ID |
| Oct 2003 |
chickfrdstk |
Saratoga altered US stamps group buying ID |
| May 2003 |
pcheltenham |
Saratoga altered US stamps group selling ID |
4. Image stealing scammers suspended from eBay
| Date Suspended |
Seller ID |
Comments |
| Mar 2007 |
sowtrung |
zero-feedback seller from Thailand, listed auctions of stamps, banknotes
and jewellery all with stolen images using direct links to websites |
| Jan 2006 |
millionaire-collector |
reincarnation of hongkong_auction from Hong Kong, offered
high-value Japanese and other items using stolen scans, used private auctions and private feedback |
| Oct 2005 |
easy_info |
see Dodgy Sellers list below |
| June 2005 |
rosetanushi |
low-feedback seller from India, offered high-value US and Australian
stamps, related shill-bidding IDs 7730ramu and famelever also suspended |
| Apr 2005 |
whelp2005 |
zero-feedback seller from China |
| Mar 2005 |
hongkong_auction |
seller from Hong Kong, offered high-value Japanese and other items using
stolen scans and did not deliver, used private feedback; reincarnated as millionaire-collector
offering similar items in Jan 2006 |
| Feb 2005 |
sappingtonn7 |
low-feedback seller from USA, offered Tasmanian specimens with stolen text
and images, accepted only "e-gold" for payment, related to suspended ID bmcplock by
shill-bidding IDs wumurex and cyfeneg |
| Oct 2004 |
troposcatter02 |
low-feedback seller from Germany, listed high-value US stamps, related IDs
almohet and die_marke01 also suspended |
| Oct 2004 |
steals_on_deals |
zero-feedback seller from Canada, listed high-value US stamps (has since
been reinstated) |
| Sep 2004 |
pfaff_collectables |
zero-feedback seller from the Netherlands, listed over 400 auctions with
stolen images |
5. Questionable sellers suspended from other internet sites
| Date Suspended |
Seller ID |
Comments |
| Aug 2007 |
dmlstamps |
stampwants.com
Shortlived incarnation of dmlengyel1 from eBay |
| May 2007 |
drummer246 |
stampwants.com
Saratoga ring altered US stamps group selling ID |
| Jul 2006 |
ndp789 |
stampwants.com
Saratoga ring altered US stamps group selling ID |
| Apr 2006 |
nomdploome |
stamptraders.com
Saratoga ring altered US stamps group selling ID |
|
