Folks! Please view this guys group and tell what you think?

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Posted By: Brian C Daniels 

MW~ I know you are one who will view them all to come up with a history or accurate commentary! Please do!


http://cgi6.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewListedItems&userid=trader0318&include=0&since=-1&sort=2&rows=25

take special note of the " NM" cards and the Ruth!


handle "trader0318 "

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Posted By: David

I have never dealt with this person and he or she may be a perfectly resonable and honest dealer-- but I would bid on the Goudey Ruth or Koufax Rookie, for examples, when there was better conditions. I would like a nicer picture (perhaps, better images are provided via email upon request) and, while the feedback numbers are reasonable (and much positives on Sales as opposed to Buys which is a good sign), I would pass on bidding in a 'private' auction of someone I am unfamiliar with, at least when it involves higher end cards.

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Posted By: MW

Brian --

Some of the cards look a bit familiar, but without higher quality images, I cannot make any definitive judgments.

Based on the seller's feedback and the auction format, I would request more information before bidding.

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Posted By: runscott

This is the same guy we discussed two months ago - I asked for a clearer scan and he said it would damage the card to take it out and make another scan!

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Posted By: edhans

Several things I find fault with:
1) Retail prices (Buy it now equal to minimum bid).
2) Private auctions.
3) Terrible scans. You would think that with such high end items he could find a way to provide better descriptions.
4) Some of the cards that have somewhat better scans appear to be overgraded (the Cobbs look more like vg-ex to me).
5) Terrible (and limited) feedback-three negatives and a neutral out of 51 responses is not "reasonable". Even some of the positives indicate slow response time.

Individually any of these issues should not necessarily preclude someone from bidding, but collectively they scream BUYER BEWARE! He has some terrific stuff (if genuine and properly graded) but nothing unique. There will be other opportunities.

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Posted By: runscott

I read through his feedback and several buyers complained that he never sent the item - he then claimed that they were running insurance scams. Sounds like that's what he's doing.

They bid on a high-dollar item, he claims it's lost in the mail. He collects the insurance, they get a refund.

WHAT A WEASEL!

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Posted By: Tom

Not sure if this is the same seller that I posted a while back on selling a T205 with a scan from the Library of Congress site or not. THAT seller ended the auctions though.

I would concur with Scott about the insurance scams. The person is obviously ATTEMPTING to sell something that they do not own. While it isn't illegal to 'borrow' scans, using them on auctions for goods that someone doesn't have certainly should be.

Working for UPS, I've seen MANY scams like this. We pay tens of millions of dollars per year in claims. Many are legitimate but many are fraudulent. That's why I always take insurance on pretty much anything I send or receive of real value. It costs a little extra but you just never know what kind of scam a seller or buyer might be attempting to run from either end--seller or buyer.

Of course, the great ebay behemoth won't pursue it further. They will stand behind the old caveat emptor that they proudly display on the site.

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Posted By: MW

One of the items this seller has listed is a 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie Card. Based on the scan that has been provided, there are some distinct similarities to a 1948 George Mikan that we had listed as part of a complete 1948 Bowman Basketball set several months ago. Based solely on the similarities -- centering, corner wear and registration -- I would say the odds are 1 in 10,000 that the two cards are different (an arbitrary but educated assignment on my part). I have posted two images of the Mikan -- one how it first appeared on eBay in our auction, and the other how it appears in trader0318's eBay auction.

MIKAN POSTED BY BMW SPORTSCARDS ON 12/3/01:




The above card with a slight adjustment in brightness and contrast:




MIKAN POSTED BY TRADER0318:




If this is the same card that we posted as part of a complete 1948 Bowman Basketball set (item #1043297279), then "trader0318" is running a scam similar to that of "emosign." That is, he is selling some "cheap" items that he DOES own, and other, more expensive items that he does not own. For the more expensive items, he simply borrows images from other eBay and Internet users and tries to entice winning bidders to send payment. My advice? Don't bid and don't send money.

BcD, Vorthian, and Tom (autograf) -- can you find more examples of "borrowed" images???

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Posted By: jay behrens

GRRRR!!! UPS, bad word. over 15 years later I still hate them passionately. Nothing against you personally. I just truly hate the company. In a 2 week period I got 3 empty boxes, a hollow apology and told that the insurance checks (totally over $5k) are all that would be done to resolve the situation. They would rather cut you a check than investigate employee theft, so I refuse to use them to this day.

The one thing I learned from this, other than never use UPS again, is that it's not a good idea to have anything on the outside of the box that might indicate what is on the inside, like a company name, etc.

Jay

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Posted By: runscott

A delivery company once left a computer-sized box on my unattended doorstep, complete with the computer company's name on the box in large letters, along with their logo, and the model # of a VERY expensive personal computer. Gee! how stupid can they be?

Of course, it wasn't there when I got home!

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Posted By: Tom

While I can't speak to YOUR situation, Jay, EVERY carrier has similar problems. We investigate and fire people for theft EVERY day. Unfortunately, unless eventually caught in the act, like any crime, it is difficult to catch the cuplrits. There are 350,000 UPS employees worldwide and unfortunately, like any big company, problems DO exist.

You did get your money back and I could tell you much worse stories about our illustrious postal service where I didn't get money back on items that were sent to me insured that were damaged. Sure that doesn't sway you one way or the other but don't wear rose colored glasses thinking that any one carrier has no problems with theft or damage. Hopefully you filed complaints with UPS and, if necessary, Better Business Bureau.

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Posted By: Tom

p.s. since I've been at UPS 17 years, the transportation industry has changed QUITE a bit. No tracking 15 years ago. Online tracking, signature delivery information now, etc. Hopefully your CURRENT company gives you all these options because UPS does. Also offers us a lot more opportunities to track and catch thieves--both WITHIN our company and SHIPPERS and CONSIGNEES.

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Posted By: mike mullins

I worked for UPS three years over Christmas break as a driver helper -- good work for a college student, made biiig bucks over a few short weeks. Anyway, my drivers and supervisors were REALLY strict about how we handled packages...if the tape came loose, or there was a hole in a box, I wasn't supposed to touch it. If you put your hand in a box, you got fired.

I can't speak to how things were then, but I agree with Tom: with tracking, electronic signatures, and stricter rules, I think big brown does ok now.

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Posted By: David

UPS may be a fine and dandy organization, but I have questioned the marketing wisdom of a a company name that can correctly be pronounced 'Oops'

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Posted By: jay behrens

I am not looking thru it with rose colored glasses. I used to work for DHL and know full well how delivery companies work, which is why I am so pissed. The whole story behind issue with UPS is quite long and detailed. The one item that disappeared was supposed to have controlled handling. Getting the money back for it was meaningless since the item was one of a kind. Needless to say, UPS was only interested in giving me a check. They said they would not be investigating even though I had 3 empty boxes arrive in a 2 week period. If they do take theft seriuosly, they certainly didn't in this case.

All total, I had to make 6 claims on 'lost' shipments thru UPS in 5 years. On the other hand, I have only only had to make one insurance claim and had only one other package lost by USPS in 20+ years. UPS may have changed thier ways but I have no interest in finding out since the post office has never given me reason to stop using them.

Jay