Comments
by Frank Tauk.
This
just in:
It's
a billion dollar industry that touches millions of us, and as much as 90
percent of it could be fake! Sports and celebrity memorabilia is
hot, but suddenly there's an icy draft. After a 3-year investigation
called "Operation Bullpen", the feds say they have put a big dent in the
problem.
This
could spell big trouble for thousands of people who have been making a
very comfortable living selling purported personal items of the stars.
For instance, an autographed Mark McGwire jersey was priced at $3,995,
which should be a tip-off. A genine McGwire-signed jersey would go
for thousands more; and people have been falling all over each other to
speculate on these precious objects d'history.
It's
an especially despicable crime when you consider the generations of young
sports fans who have been duped. More than 25 people are in custody
along with thousands of autographed pictures, baseballs, shirts, hats and
other items with conterfiet signatures.
''You
can't tell unless you see it autographed personally or you
know
the history of the item,'' warns the assistant US Attorney in charge, Phillip
Halpern. It's a good idea to have a photo taken at the time of the autograph
to help prove authenticity.
If
you're considering buying an item as an investment, be very inquisitive.
If the price doesn't seem right, if it's too low, that's a red flag.
But now, thanks to these crooks, even if the price is in line, suspicion
could do serious damage to the market. |
