Adding one more shady eBay dealer to the list of blacklisting requests: linda1970
Linda persisted in selling a fake TSR buckle in spite of repeat warnings. She presented it as "nothing indicating this is not authentic" the whole time. There is also a whole discussion on the Acaeum, IMHO establishing that it was absolutely fake.
As the owner of some very real buckles, I have a vested interest in keeping fakes out of the market, I will admit!

Here was the post:

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On a tangential but connected note... I also received a damaged shipment of many fighting fantasy and lone wolf items this month, from a Facebook UK seller - I know those items are out of scope for the Acaeum.
But here is my question: the items smelled heavily of cigarette smoke, on top of being damaged in transit due to poor packaging. The seller argues that he did not have to indicate any smoke smell (beside acknowledging that he smokes heavily yet the items could not smell since they "are kept upstairs in another room". As we all know, smoke does not rise........). As collectors, how would you feel about that? Would it not warrant a refund and am I being unreasonable? I asked for 20% only, and the seller offered 1% after a paypal dispute was open. Keep in mind there is extensive damage, and shipping back cross-atlantic would cost me a 2nd mortgage.

This is the most painful part of collecting... It exposes humanity in all its extremes!

gregory wrote in Shady Dealers:On a tangential but connected note... I also received a damaged shipment of many fighting fantasy and lone wolf items this month, from a Facebook UK seller - I know those items are out of scope for the Acaeum.
But here is my question: the items smelled heavily of cigarette smoke, on top of being damaged in transit due to poor packaging. The seller argues that he did not have to indicate any smoke smell (beside acknowledging that he smokes heavily yet the items could not smell since they "are kept upstairs in another room". As we all know, smoke does not rise........). As collectors, how would you feel about that? Would it not warrant a refund and am I being unreasonable? I asked for 20% only, and the seller offered 1% after a paypal dispute was open. Keep in mind there is extensive damage, and shipping back cross-atlantic would cost me a 2nd mortgage.

This sucks. People who are heavy indoor smokers can become nose-blind to the smell and may not be aware it even exists until they get told by an impartial third party.

I've purchased smoke-smelly items once before (a RIFTS special edition sourcebook from eBay).
I didn't mention it or seek restitution from eBay at the time, and still own the book.

Sir Kill Alot wrote in Shady Dealers:The module's shrink had a residue on it

I'm usually pretty tolerant about items in mangled condition, but you've got to draw the line somewhere. It's possible that some sellers have heard about collectibles which should not be cleaned (coins, etc.), & think it applies to everything.

Warning: the following auction --


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... is a scam.  The eBay accounts in question have been hacked and this false item put up.  They'll be taken down (eventually) by eBay and by me here if I see it, but don't go hitting the Buy-it-Now on these.

Foul

I reported numerous associated bogus auctions yesterday, at the same time that Foul removed the auctions.  There were two eBay accounts that had been compromised.  Hopefully they have both been addressed now.

It's the same old automated listings that are being used over and over.  D&D collectibles are just a small portion of the listings.  They are getting a bit more sophisticated with the auction listings over time, in an attempt to defeat eBay's security measures.

dbartman wrote in Shady Dealers:Wasn't sure where to post this but this is probably the most appropriate place:


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The seller has listed a supposed 1st print, but hasn't provided any photos that actually verify that it's a 1st print.  It does state that the endpapers and flyleaves are orange at least.  In addition, they are including "Amazing MegaExtras including 10,000+ Pages of Fantasy Materials!!"

The description continues with the following:


Seriously?  The seller thinks this is okay?  They do have a 100% feedback rating, though.

So the seller sells a '1st Print' in the sense that it is 1E AD&D and a link to a trove of PDFs online where you can download pirate copies of stuff you should be paying for at DrivethruRPG.

The easiest way to search this thread is to use the searchbox at the very top of the thread, in the dark brown border.  It's a little hard to spot so most people aren't even aware it's there.  That'll let you peruse the comments, if any, made about the seller you're interested in.  Note that a sitewide search of a seller's name might produce more results, as there's several notorious sellers who have their own dedicated thread (i.e., ETC/GAME EMP/jonb7839,lisas_stuff_too! is now she_wolf626).

As a usual disclaimer, the opinions and statements made by individual posters in this thread (or elsewhere on this forum) are not an "official" view of The Acaeum at large.  Posters in this thread, as with any Internet posting, should be aware of the very real legal liabilities of being sued for libel in the event what you're posting is not the truth.  For this reason primarily, I don't think it would be wise to maintain any "master" list of the sellers mentioned in this thread.  Read people's opinions and accounts of their experiences, and make your own decisions.

Two further comments:

- "she_wolf626" has been been shown beyond reasonable doubt to be a middle-aged man living in Fancy Gap, Virginia, who has over the years cycled between several eBay accounts with the express intent of committing fraud via non-delivery of expensive D&D collectibles.  There's always a fictious biography presented, very often involving dead relatives and an inherited collection, in an attempt to establish a reputation.  This has been literally going on for almost twenty years now, that we're aware of, and in every case it eventually ends with the seller "going dark" and not delivering goods.  Then a new account and sob story is created and the cycle begins anew.  If you believe this person has now finally reformed and "gone straight", then I commend you on your optimism about the human condition.  Caveat emptor.

- eBay makes a determined effort to mask or outright delete any negative comments made about sellers.  They long ago decided that a seller with a 100% feedback rating makes more sales, which increases eBay's commissions.  Remember that this is the company that just a couple years ago figuratively sent an assassination squad to deal with a blogger posting unfavorable articles about eBay: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/investigat ... 023-03-26/ .

Foul

** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

Two separate listings from the same seller, with different end dates, same items...

Double post?  Maybe.

Dumpling wrote in Shady Dealers:Adding in this thread as well at the suggestion of a more experienced member.

Seller heracleides (mentioned in an earlier thread here as well) is back to selling fakes of (primarily zines) from Traveller and other systems. ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=&LH_Specif ... p;_fosrp=1 Jerry Sanders out of Apache Junction, AZ but answers messages as Paul for what it's worth.

The Oracle set at least was confirmed as stolen content by the owner (issue 6 only existed in a post-original version sold through kickstarter a few years ago). In the items I returned at least one came with a CD/RW copy of the zine.

FYI this seller is back and has rebranded himself as Chapbooks Express, still selling the same host of copyright violating reprints of old zines. Looks like they go dark for a while then come back with new store name. 100% positive feedback of course, as is fairly common for sellers of stolen content. C'est la vie.