newfie
06-20-2007, 02:04 PM
Most here already know this, but anytime you come across a nice looking SP Authentic FB logo patch, or even a multi-colored one, that you are thinking of picking up, please check with me first and see if it checks out okay with my SPA database.
Those who aren't familar with me, I have a database of approx. 25,000 scans of 2001-2006 football SP Authentic patches.
I use the database to cross-reference SPA's that show up on Ebay that might contain new and improved patches.
For example, take a look at this Maurice Jones Drew SPA that showed up last night on Ebay with a beautiful Jaguars head logo patch in it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/MAURICE-JONES-DREW-SP-AUTHENTIC-AUTO-LOGO-PATCH-RC-RARE_W0QQitemZ110140933810QQihZ001QQcategoryZ20882QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c289/newfie1989/2006%20Tampered%20SPA/622tampered.jpg
Well, this exact same card used to contain a simple 2 color patch:
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c289/newfie1989/2006%20Tampered%20SPA/622.jpg
Someone probably paid around $150ish for the original, and is looking to make a couple hundred $ more with the improved patch.
When a seller lists a nice looking card like this and doesn't give a serial # in the description and displays a somewhat fuzzy picture(so the serial # isn't clearly visible), I immediately become suspicious. If this were my card with this kind of logo patch, I would do my best to get a nice clear shot of the card, and not some picture with a lot of glare on it!
:naughty: :shh:Please don't bother the current seller with this info. above, I have already forwarded it on to Upper Deck fraud dept., and they will have it removed shortly, along with a nice little note to the seller not to try and sell it on ebay again.
Brett, along with a few others here, have asked me to try and put something together for this site with my database where fellow collectors can check for themselves any suspicious looking SPA's. I have talked numerous times with UD's fraud dept. about this, and until there is a database of every SPA made, it wouldn't be a good idea for me to post a partial one for the following reason. If I were to make my partial DB available to everyone, it's possible someone who wanted swap out an original SPA patch for a new one, could run a quick check on my database to see if I had any record of it. If I didn't have any record of the card, then they would have little worries in getting caught selling a tampered SPA. I realize that the chances of there being a member here who likes to counterfeit jersey cards is very slim, but if word got out that this site did have a partial DB of SPA patches, it's possible counterfeiters would come visit the site. So until UD(and other companies) start making complete databases of the their high end jersey cards(UD does database all of their exquisite cards), I am going to have to keep my database between myself and UD.
While 99% of the SPA's that show up on Ebay are legit, I still come across 2 or 3 tampered SPA's a month that have been tampered. Most are never around more than a few hours before they are removed from EBay. When I first started working with UD's fraud dept.(I use this term loosely, as I don't really work for them) we were having 10-15 tampered SPA's a month removed from Ebay. Over the last 2 years this number has dropped considerably, as counterfeiters have realized it is much harder to pawn their wares off on an unsuspecting Ebay buyer. Nowadays, it seems the counterfeiters have moved from the SPA series onto the Playoff Absolute Mem. series, due to the fact that is very difficult to prove the card has been tampered with due to the fact the serial # is on the back.
As I have stated in the past on CP and Beckett, anytime you are thinking of buying a nice looking SPA, if possible, ask me first to run a quick check on it. I don't mind at all. While this may help you when it comes to Ebay and card trading sites, buying a SPA at a card show is a little tougher for me to check. I have had people take a pic of the card at a show with a cell phone, or write down the serial #, then email me asking them to run a quick check on it. This is fine also, my email is: tbluej1@hotmail.com
Those who aren't familar with me, I have a database of approx. 25,000 scans of 2001-2006 football SP Authentic patches.
I use the database to cross-reference SPA's that show up on Ebay that might contain new and improved patches.
For example, take a look at this Maurice Jones Drew SPA that showed up last night on Ebay with a beautiful Jaguars head logo patch in it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/MAURICE-JONES-DREW-SP-AUTHENTIC-AUTO-LOGO-PATCH-RC-RARE_W0QQitemZ110140933810QQihZ001QQcategoryZ20882QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c289/newfie1989/2006%20Tampered%20SPA/622tampered.jpg
Well, this exact same card used to contain a simple 2 color patch:
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c289/newfie1989/2006%20Tampered%20SPA/622.jpg
Someone probably paid around $150ish for the original, and is looking to make a couple hundred $ more with the improved patch.
When a seller lists a nice looking card like this and doesn't give a serial # in the description and displays a somewhat fuzzy picture(so the serial # isn't clearly visible), I immediately become suspicious. If this were my card with this kind of logo patch, I would do my best to get a nice clear shot of the card, and not some picture with a lot of glare on it!
:naughty: :shh:Please don't bother the current seller with this info. above, I have already forwarded it on to Upper Deck fraud dept., and they will have it removed shortly, along with a nice little note to the seller not to try and sell it on ebay again.
Brett, along with a few others here, have asked me to try and put something together for this site with my database where fellow collectors can check for themselves any suspicious looking SPA's. I have talked numerous times with UD's fraud dept. about this, and until there is a database of every SPA made, it wouldn't be a good idea for me to post a partial one for the following reason. If I were to make my partial DB available to everyone, it's possible someone who wanted swap out an original SPA patch for a new one, could run a quick check on my database to see if I had any record of it. If I didn't have any record of the card, then they would have little worries in getting caught selling a tampered SPA. I realize that the chances of there being a member here who likes to counterfeit jersey cards is very slim, but if word got out that this site did have a partial DB of SPA patches, it's possible counterfeiters would come visit the site. So until UD(and other companies) start making complete databases of the their high end jersey cards(UD does database all of their exquisite cards), I am going to have to keep my database between myself and UD.
While 99% of the SPA's that show up on Ebay are legit, I still come across 2 or 3 tampered SPA's a month that have been tampered. Most are never around more than a few hours before they are removed from EBay. When I first started working with UD's fraud dept.(I use this term loosely, as I don't really work for them) we were having 10-15 tampered SPA's a month removed from Ebay. Over the last 2 years this number has dropped considerably, as counterfeiters have realized it is much harder to pawn their wares off on an unsuspecting Ebay buyer. Nowadays, it seems the counterfeiters have moved from the SPA series onto the Playoff Absolute Mem. series, due to the fact that is very difficult to prove the card has been tampered with due to the fact the serial # is on the back.
As I have stated in the past on CP and Beckett, anytime you are thinking of buying a nice looking SPA, if possible, ask me first to run a quick check on it. I don't mind at all. While this may help you when it comes to Ebay and card trading sites, buying a SPA at a card show is a little tougher for me to check. I have had people take a pic of the card at a show with a cell phone, or write down the serial #, then email me asking them to run a quick check on it. This is fine also, my email is: tbluej1@hotmail.com