We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

Fake charity items from PSA Productions.....Jordan, Lebron, DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Aaron Rogers, etc.

I mentioned this here last year and nobody responded. There is a company here in Phoenix called Mountainside Fitness, to which I belong. They are again setting up a charity auction from a company called PSA Productions run by a guy, Jim Johnson (pretty sure that is his name). They set up inside the health club and have bidding sheets. Just about everything is fake, with the exception of a PSA Magic and Bird and a JSA Cincinnati Reds signed photo with Rose, Bench.

All of the fake items are certified by GA, yes, Steve Sipe. Everything is elaborately matted and framed to throw off any suspicion.

The banners at the tables all have large PSA lettering so it appears that PSA is the company offering the goods, when in fact it is someone taking advantage of the PSA name recognition.

I of course asked to speak with the general manager. No surprise, he isn't available. They offer me their corporate number, nobody answers and they ask you to leave a message. Again, no surprise, no return phone call. This really p***** me off. I went up to every person I saw looking at the items and warned them to not bid. My first inclination was to write "fake signature" on the bidding sheets. My daughter talked me out of it, because she thinks we will get kicked out.

They were offering Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Aaron Rogers, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Ted Williams. Just about every item was around $400 in the bidding.

Any suggestions? I was thinking about contacting the local newspaper, not really sure of anyone cares besides us. If you live in Arizona and have a Mountainside Fitness near you, go in and see if they have the same set up. Maybe if more people called to complain, they would do something.

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dom Vito Castiglione on September 5, 2014 at 11:55am

I personally don't like any of those signatures.

I don't have any sympathy for the buyers because they have no business buying things they know nothing about. Would I go buy a popular, expensive handbag for my wife? No, I know nothing about those and would risk buying a knockoff. There has been some awareness and news stories on this, but clearly needs to be more. It all comes down to what was already said...Nobody has any common sense any more.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brett Hansen on September 5, 2014 at 11:56am

I was only allowed to upload 3 images per post.

I have now uploaded the Nicklaus flag. Feedback has been greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Attachments: No photo uploads here

flag.jpg, 636 KB

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve on September 5, 2014 at 11:55am

I looked at my three Chamberlain photo's and mine are different. Mine are not angled, letters are taller and more clearly written. I have a Wilt the stilt also, so I was comparing apples to apples.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brett Hansen on September 5, 2014 at 11:58am

So do you think the Wilt is forged?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dom Vito Castiglione on September 5, 2014 at 12:01pm

If the Wilt is authentic, it's the first I've ever seen with "The Stilt" in 40+ years in the hobby.

Common sense.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve on September 5, 2014 at 12:13pm

I have a Wilt the Stilt signed in person. So I know there is at least one of them.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dom Vito Castiglione on September 5, 2014 at 1:56pm

You better hold on to it cause it has to be very rare

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike White on September 9, 2014 at 3:15am

I see a lot of talk about contacting the media, etc.

Has anyone gotten in touch with the FBI?

Maybe it's just me, but I have noticed a visible presence of agents at conventions and shows out here in Chicago where memorabilia is being sold, especially after "Foul Ball" and "Bullpen".

While it's true that they can't act fast enough to prevent more people from getting taken in the short term, they can end it once and for all in the long term.

If this as obvious as y'all say (I never had a good eye for forgeries), I feel like it should be brought to their attention sooner rather than later. Since this specific company does this around the country, why not report it to your local FBI office as soon it hits your area?

Just a thought.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve on September 9, 2014 at 3:59pm

It will take several people to file a complaint to have them even consider looking into it. Small fish.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike White on September 9, 2014 at 5:40pm

And that is exactly what I suggested.

Like I said, it won't do much n the short term, but the offices talk. If the various FBI offices get calls about it in that area as they move around, someone will take a look.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: after "Foul Ball" and "Bullpen" especially, I've seen a noticeable, yet small, presence of FBI at conventions and shows looking over dealers' wares.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brett Hansen on September 9, 2014 at 6:23pm

It is interesting to see all the feedback on the autographs I recently posted.

Most of you will be shocked to learn that each of these items are actually authenticated by PSA/DNA.

The Bird and Magic piece also carries the Bird hologram in addition to PSA/DNA.

And as it has been clearly stated regarding the Wilt Chamberlain piece that it is obviously a fake because it has not been seen in this industry for the 40+ years, is also clearly WRONG! The one I have also has the PSA/DNA certification.

I am not the least bit surprised at the responses, as clearly this blog is very biased.

These items were assumed to have been fake, merely because they were believed to carry certifications, which most of you don't care for. The same, unfounded opinion, can probably be said for the items at the health club auction.

Had any of the items from that auction been PSA/DNA authenticated, they would have been “presumed” to have been authentic, without a second look at the signatures themselves. To come to the conclusion that an item is fake simply because it has another form of authentication is frankly moronic.

That would be like saying that Global only certifies fake items and they will respectfully take a pass on an item that is real. PSA/DNA is a wonderful company, and I have a strong confidence that the items I pictured (and possess) are authentic.

So these questions are posed to the group: Which is it? – Did PSA/DNA get it wrong on these items? Or did you?

I have done business for over 10 years with the folks from the auction company you have been trashing. These are very good people who have done a lot of good. They do not deserve to be run through the mill because a self-proclaimed industry expert has a gripe with another authenicator(s). Much of the information posted about them has been grossly inaccurate and has exposed at least Mr. Kaldron to a serious slander suit.

Of course, this is for the owner to consider, but I have suggested as such to him. I realize that the mediator will likely remove this post and, if so, I would suggest starting at the very beginning of this blog. I have taken great care in capturing screen shots, in the event the posts concerning these autographs are removed.

Attachments: No photo uploads here

Ali_glove.jpg, 2 MB
Bird_Magic_Retirement.jpg, 2 MB

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike White on September 9, 2014 at 6:46pm

I don't have a dog in this fight, but at least a fraction of your comments are way off base.

Anyone who takes any authenticator's word as gospel, be they PSA or GAI or Mike White's COAs, doesn't understand how authentication works, and, I'd be willing to wager, don't exist among the commenters that you're accusing of holding said views.

Also, when an authentication company gets a reputation for authenticating fakes, fakes do become all they authenticate, because their respectable customers take their business elsewhere to avoid having their products lumped in with said forgeries. Anyone who used them for a genuine product would, if they're smart, erase any and all record of such use and get it authenticated again by a more respected agency.

That's common sense.

So, yes, it is safe to assume that any product on the market with COAs from disgraced authenticators is looking for a sucker who sees "COA" and buys it, because any genuine product would have distanced themselves from that train-wreck a long time ago.

As for the statement "And as it has been clearly stated regarding the Wilt Chamberlain piece that it is obviously a fake because it has not been seen in this industry for the 40+ years, is also clearly WRONG!", I can only assume that you're using the word "wrong" to modify your own statement, as, not only was that not clearly stated anywhere, it wasn't stated period.

If your post gets removed, it's because you were belligerent and combative; if you want to be taken seriously, I suggest that you try speaking without generalizations, false assumptions, and logical fallacies.