Counterfeit coin fraud

Possibly good news on the counterfeit fraud front. Received an email
yesterday from a Secret Service special agent who works in the
electronic fraud area who saw my Web sites about coin counterfeiting.
He asked me to phone him, and we spoke this morning for about a half
hour.

They're interested in learning more about the electronic fraud
resulting from the sale on eBay of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins. I told him what I know -- but maybe one or more people here
know more about this than me. I told him about the two large-scale
counterfeit operations on eBay I know of involving ancient coins. He's
interested though more in U.S. coins, though he said he'd brainstorm
with others about the ancient coin situation. I mentioned that with
U.S. coins I specialize in only one small area, Bust dollars, and am
not aware of any large-scale operations involving counterfeit U.S.
coins on eBay. Anybody know of any?

I also mentioned that according to my observations and opinions and
that of others, counterfeiting of higher-end collectible U.S. coins
has become much less of a problem with the advent of the grading
services. I offered my opinion that any large-scale attempt to foist
off counterfeits of higher-end U.S. coins as authentic coins on eBay
would be so visible that it would likely fail. I mentioned to him my
activities in trying to stop the auction of fake Bust dollars and
those ancient coins I specialize in on eBay, that typically this is
done by mistake but that sometimes sellers seem to know and are intent
on continuing with their attempted fraud. I talked about eBay's
hands-off policies but mentioned they will stop an auction if
contacted by the Secret Service (he was aware of this). I mentioned
the one time I was threatened with bodily harm for politely pointing
out that a Bust dollar a seller was auctioning was a forgery and that
I had success in getting a local Secret Service agent to confiscate
the fake coin.

It was a good conversation. He was upfront about the need for the
Secret Service to channel its resources toward larger-scale fraud. But
he did mention that local Secret Service offices will accept phone
calls from people who spot small-scale fraud as well. It goes without
saying though that before contacting a Secret Service office, it would
be wise to be sure that the coin is a counterfeit and that the seller
has refused to stop its sale as an authentic coin.

The Secret Service seems to have even less interest in the ownership
of counterfeit coins, that this is even less of a priority than the
small-scale fraud involving the sale of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins. He didn't even mention this, and neither, of course, did I.

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection Guide: http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Glomming: Coin Connoisseurship: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Bogos: Counterfeit Coins: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

Reid Goldsborough wrote:

Possibly good news on the counterfeit fraud front. Received an email
yesterday from a Secret Service special agent who works in the
electronic fraud area who saw my Web sites about coin counterfeiting.
He asked me to phone him, and we spoke this morning for about a half
hour.

They're interested in learning more about the electronic fraud
resulting from the sale on eBay of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins. I told him what I know -- but maybe one or more people here
know more about this than me. I told him about the two large-scale
counterfeit operations on eBay I know of involving ancient coins. He's
interested though more in U.S. coins, though he said he'd brainstorm
with others about the ancient coin situation. I mentioned that with
U.S. coins I specialize in only one small area, Bust dollars, and am
not aware of any large-scale operations involving counterfeit U.S.
coins on eBay. Anybody know of any?

What about the guy I have seen selling multiples of fake trade dollars
on ebay. I don't care enough about the subject to go and search for the
auctions but I'm sure a person who was interested would be able to find
it pretty quickly.



--
Jason Craton ---- CONECA N-3407 --- WINS #5
---------------------------
Interested in error coins?
http://www.error-coins.com - A work in progress (lack of progress really).

Nick is a DICK!

Reid Goldsborough wrote:

They're interested in learning more about the electronic fraud
resulting from the sale on eBay of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins.

This shouldn't come as a surprise since the Secret Service not onlt enforces
the nation's counterfeiting laws but were put in charge of electronic fraud not
long ago.

I told him what I know.....

Did you tell him that some people labor under the delusion that counterfeit
coins are legal to own and even think they are "cool"?

Did you tell him that some people think it is OK to openly buy and sell these
coins? Did you tell him that a current eBay search of auctions in the "US
Coins" category for the word "counterfeit" in auction titles would yield 30
hits?

but maybe one or more people here
know more about this than me.

Ya think?

The Secret Service seems to have even less interest in the ownership
of counterfeit coins, that this is even less of a priority than the
small-scale fraud involving the sale of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins. He didn't even mention this, and neither, of course, did I.

Soooo....neither of you mentioned it yet you were able to gauge their level of
interest. Absolutely amazing.

Bottom line....they are definitely interested in counterfeits of collectible
coins (and their potential to defraud)....contrary to "periodic" claims made
here.


++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

Hooked and reeled in by Reid yet again. Billy


Phil DeMayo wrote:

Reid Goldsborough wrote:

They're interested in learning more about the electronic fraud
resulting from the sale on eBay of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins.

This shouldn't come as a surprise since the Secret Service not onlt enforces
the nation's counterfeiting laws but were put in charge of electronic fraud not
long ago.

I told him what I know.....

Did you tell him that some people labor under the delusion that counterfeit
coins are legal to own and even think they are "cool"?

Did you tell him that some people think it is OK to openly buy and sell these
coins? Did you tell him that a current eBay search of auctions in the "US
Coins" category for the word "counterfeit" in auction titles would yield 30
hits?

but maybe one or more people here
know more about this than me.

Ya think?

The Secret Service seems to have even less interest in the ownership
of counterfeit coins, that this is even less of a priority than the
small-scale fraud involving the sale of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins. He didn't even mention this, and neither, of course, did I.

Soooo....neither of you mentioned it yet you were able to gauge their level of
interest. Absolutely amazing.

Bottom line....they are definitely interested in counterfeits of collectible
coins (and their potential to defraud)....contrary to "periodic" claims made
here.

++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

In , on 01/13/2004
at 11:08 PM, "note.boy" said:

Hooked and reeled in by Reid yet again. Billy

Phil's such a predictable putz, eh?

Nick

I think Phil done been suckered. Do you really thin the SS contacted Reid
and asked him to call them?

"Phil DeMayo" wrote in message
...
Reid Goldsborough wrote:

They're interested in learning more about the electronic fraud
resulting from the sale on eBay of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins.

This shouldn't come as a surprise since the Secret Service not onlt
enforces
the nation's counterfeiting laws but were put in charge of electronic
fraud not
long ago.

I told him what I know.....

Did you tell him that some people labor under the delusion that
counterfeit
coins are legal to own and even think they are "cool"?

Did you tell him that some people think it is OK to openly buy and sell
these
coins? Did you tell him that a current eBay search of auctions in the "US
Coins" category for the word "counterfeit" in auction titles would yield
30
hits?

but maybe one or more people here
know more about this than me.

Ya think?

The Secret Service seems to have even less interest in the ownership
of counterfeit coins, that this is even less of a priority than the
small-scale fraud involving the sale of counterfeit coins as authentic
coins. He didn't even mention this, and neither, of course, did I.

Soooo....neither of you mentioned it yet you were able to gauge their
level of
interest. Absolutely amazing.

Bottom line....they are definitely interested in counterfeits of
collectible
coins (and their potential to defraud)....contrary to "periodic" claims
made
here.


++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

"note.boy" wrote in message ...
Hooked and reeled in by Reid yet again. Billy

Golly gee, and you must have been hooked too. Nobody was a hooker or
hookee. But Phil I see from your quoting is continuing to do his inane
lawyer posing. Hey, maybe I should have said to this SS agent, "A VERY
credible source has repeatedly written in an online discussion group
that owning counterfeits of old collectible coins is illegal -- no,
he's not a lawyer but he pretends pretty good -- and an even more
credible source has written repeatedly that possessing these
counterfeits is no different from being a heroin dealer or
international terrorist. Why the heck isn't the Secret Service going
after these people???" Enough nonsense. The Secret Service WANTS to go
after the real problem and is looking for leads. This is a *good*
thing, for collectors, for numismatics. If anybody has any leads, I
can pass them on. On the other hand, if you or anybody wants to go on
holding forth self-importantly, and ridiculously, about the evils of
collectors holding counterfeits, offering dire warnings that have zero
basis in reality, all the other bozodom, go right ahead. I'm sure you
don't need any encouragement from me, actually.

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection Guide:
http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Glomming: Coin Connoisseurship: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Bogos: Counterfeit Coins: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

"Bob Peterson" wrote in message ...
I think Phil done been suckered. Do you really thin the SS contacted Reid
and asked him to call them?

Ooh. And it's not me posting now, as someone else suggested before.
What bozodom. Do a Google search on counterfeit coins. You'll see what
it's not so incredible that I was emailed. This was my fourth contact
with the Secret Service about counterfeit coins, incidentally, though
I initiated the first three, one to headquarters, two to my local SS
office, and one to the SS office local to the ANA headquarters. That's
five actually. As I've said, they're interested in fraud involving the
sale of counterfeit coins as authentic coins. It's this, actually,
that got me interested and involved in all this in the first place,
seeing so many bogo Bust dollars auctioned as authentic coins on eBay.
This still happens, though not nearly as much, since it's not as easy
to get away with this, at least in this little area. I've found that
pointing sellers to my page on Bogo Bust dollars goes a long way
toward convincing them, though not always.

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection Guide:
http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Glomming: Coin Connoisseurship: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Bogos: Counterfeit Coins: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

On 14 Jan 2004 20:02:06 -0800, (Reid
Goldsborough) wrote:

It's this, actually,
that got me interested and involved in all this in the first place,
seeing so many bogo Bust dollars auctioned as authentic coins on eBay.
This still happens, though not nearly as much, since it's not as easy
to get away with this, at least in this little area. I've found that
pointing sellers to my page on Bogo Bust dollars goes a long way
toward convincing them, though not always.

Have you passed along the fake seated/trade dollar auctions pointed
out this week?

Padraic.

la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu
ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.

Padraic Brown wrote in message . ..

Have you passed along the fake seated/trade dollar auctions pointed
out this week?

I don't know which auctions you're referring to. I've been following
this thread of course and several others but don't have time to follow
every thread and read every message. If you have the eBay item numbers
or auction URLs, I can take a look. Or I can search around Google
Groups for this, which is how I'm having to access Usenet right now
actually since the Norton Internet Security 2004 upgrade blew up Forte
Agent on me, making it unable to access my newsserver. Symantec tech
support was supportive but helpless. A bug in the upgrade also causes
Eudora to greet me with two error messages now each time I load it,
though this is a bug they're at least aware of, and it's a bug that
fortunately doesn't interfere with the functioning of either Eudora or
Norton.