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PAAS Certified Autographs Removed From eBay, Allowed Back Within a Few Months

Update: PAAS certified autographs with their new COAs and LOAs, which came out in May or June 2012 are now allowed on eBay again.

eBay has removed virtually all autograph listings with PAAS (Professional Autograph Authentication Service) COAs, apparently due to authenticity concerns.

It is estimated that approximately 800 listings were wiped out, and less than a dozen remained. eBay sellers reported that all of their PAAS autographs were removed except those also certified by other third-party authenticators. Sellers were told they would face possible suspension if they attempted to list them again.

While there has been no official statement by eBay, Michael Frost, PAAS's president and authenticator, acknowledged eBay's actions when I asked by email, but would not say why, suggesting we contact eBay. However he denied it was due to authenticity concerns.

However, emails from eBay provided to us by recipients contradict that.:

Why were the listings for my autographed items ended?
- We received reports regarding the authenticity of the autographs in your listings. Please be aware that we regularly receive such reports from rights owners, law enforcement officials and members of the eBay community. These reports were not the determining factor for why your listings were removed but they were taken into consideration.

In the past, blanket removal of a company's COA by eBay has been followed within a few months by an official listing on eBay's banned COA list. More on this situation as it develops.

Tags: banned, ebay, frost, p.a.a.s., paas, professional autograph authentication service

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This is just so sad and unfair  Thanks E-Bay real smart thing to do !    I Guess we all  need to ask when asking for our next autograph is.....  Hello There can you  please sign this for me, &  can i also have you roll your thumb across my ink pad please .........   That's the Wow Factor ..........  This just makes it tough on everyone trying to do what they love and to try to trust others !   Steve Mills, Ky  

With all due respect, eBay should not be telling sellers what to sell or what not.  We don't live in a political environment with eBay.  They have taken down very credible sites all just to keeo their own people.  What ever happened to "Buyer beware?"

 It is simly a power grab. 

 

EBAY's site. They can set the rules for sellers. They dont allow cigarettes, alcohol or guns being sold. I for one am glad they are banning authenticators who have poor reputations or associated with high rate of forgeries.

Not that it matters much to me since I would never in a million years buy an item with PAAS authentication. Just dont like that guy. I hope this hurts his pockets huge.

 

This is Captilalism, not socialism.  If eBay allows the selling of autohraphs from others then they should allow from anyone so long as they are certified.  Only a small few are allowed to sell and this is pure Politics.  A certian small group has taken over the site and proclaim a monopoly on what an autograph is authenticate or not.  Well, unless you are in front of a celbrity seeing her or him sign the pic, you are never going to be 100 % pure sure it is true.  I have had several authenticated by UACC and PSA memebers in great standing that screwed up on several items.  Sure, they will take it back but so will PAAS.  BUYER BEWARE is the best approach otherwise your allowing a monopoly, not all inclusivity. 

What if it is certified by an authenticator who passes everything without even really glancing at it like most self proclaimed forensic document examiners do? Not good for business on EBAYs part if consumers are getting ripped off and never come back.

You a seller who just had a chunk of your junk yanked?

 

No, I am not a seller who had anything "yanked"....LOL....You must be a bad psychic.  I sell on eBay and everything has authenticity letters from UACC RD members.  ;-)

Some good points made on both sides.  Unfortunately, the "authentic" ones get tossed out with the "non-authentic ones".  How many of the 800 +/- were really reported is anyone's conjecture as the EBAY EMail is a "standard" formatted message. 

According to one official, "if every place that sold forgeries or authenticated "non-authentic" items was eliminated:  there would be few left to choose from".   Having said that there are some however whose accuracy rate is in serious question.  They can't blame anyone else as they created their own situation.  Why?  $$$ & Caviat Emptor, that's why.

True.  But how do you make a rule of absolutes for that?  How do you really know that something is authentic?  Authenticator?  Well, we have seen already how so called serious authenticators like PSA/DNA can mistaken a pre print from a real signature.  If they can't tell the difference from a copy and be on eBay?  Who can?

Wait a minute, it's their company, they can do whatever they want.  This is a crazy statement Robert on your part.  It's not a public owned and run site.  It's not a say by the people for the people, it's a business.  Don't confuse the two.

I have to add that whether one agrees with ebay's policy or not, (and I happen to agree with it), the number of forgeries present now compared to just a few years ago is a fraction.  Anything that gives these low life thieves a smaller cesspool to sell their crap is a benefit to all collectors, and honest dealers.

Years ago no one got on Ebay's case more than I did.  And they deserved it.  When I first started looking at Jeter autographs on Ebay a long time ago, at least 70%-80& of the Jeter autographs were forgeries.  Same with Mantle.  It is a lot different today.  Yes, there are still Jeter and Mantle forgeries on Ebay, but when they are found, they are removed.  Ebay will never be perfect, that would be impossible. 

In my opinion, buyers are still half the problem with it comes to sales of forgeries.  The buyers keep the sellers of forgeries in business.

I also give a thumbs up to E-bay for the removal of forgeries lately. It was a source of my frustrations many a time. They have done a pretty good job cleaning up their mess. Apparently going into business with the alphabets though. We shall see?

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