Mail Scams and Schemes: Counterfeit Sports Memorabilia

How about some inside baseball today?

Dan Mihalko here... your favorite docent.

Collecting sports memorabilia is a pastime as old as sports itself.

And it's also big business, generating millions of dollars each year.

Bats, hats, you name it.

If a big name player signed it or used it in a game, collectors will pay big bucks for it.

And big bucks also breed scammers.

Most common are forged autographs.

In this case, the fraudster forged signatures of famous baseball players onto cards, photos, and baseballs.

He advertised in a reputable collector's magazine then when you bought a signed item and attempted to have it authenticated, you learned the signature is a forgery.

Postal inspectors arrested the dealer and he was convicted of mail fraud.

Don't swing at a bad pitch!

Buy your collectibles from reputable dealers who offer guarantees of authenticity.

Compare prices.

If an autographed item is valuable and being sold at an extreme discount, it's likely that the item is fraud.

Trust your instincts... don't strike out!