Movie Prop Collecting with Jason DeBord's Original Prop Blog Film & TV Prop, Costume, Hollywood Memorablia Pop Culture Resource

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eBay Alert: Star Trek Original Series Tricorder Prop… Buy A Replica for $8,500?

As I’ve mentioned many, many times, there are always countless fake/replica/reproduction props and costumes listed on eBay as “authentic” and “genuine” and used on this or that television show or in a certain movie.  So even if I took it upon myself to make note of these as a full-time job, I could never cover everything.  But it is particularly irksome when someone contacts me directly to help authenticate a prop or collection – which I did for free – only to see it show up on eBay a few days after informing him it is a replica, being offered as “an original” and “not a reproduction prop” and “the real thing and very valuable”…   I informed him that my expert’s opinion was that the piece was “a replica” and explained why and that these pieces were of little value.  Not the $8,500 Buy It Now price on eBay.  I even provided links to online collecting communities for further opinion and additional resources. [Read more…]

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Annual Holiday Warning About Buying Fake and Fraudulent Movie Props, Costumes, and Memorabilia as Gifts

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Since today is “Black Friday”, I thought it would be appropriate to republish an editorial that I posted last year as the holiday season approached, warning consumers against the purchase of television and movie props, costumes, and other assets as gifts for loved ones.  [Read more…]

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Latest High Profile eBay Fraud Story in the Media – Millions Lost in Fake Golf Goods Scam

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eBay’s reputation as a marketplace for fraud continues to worsen, with high profile mainstream media stories about lawsuits over the sale of fake, counterfeit, and copyright-infringing goods.  The latest example comes from a court case in the UK, regarding a “global network of criminals [that] duped eBay customers into buying millions of pounds worth of fake golf clubs“. [Read more…]

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Judge Sentences eBay Fraudster to Over One Year in Prison

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U.S. District Judge Peter C. Dorsey today sentenced a Connecticut man, who plead guilty to committing fraud on eBay, to one year and one day in prison.  He also ordered that he pay over a quarter of a million dollars in restitution, perform 150 hours of community service, and have three years of supervised release, following the completion of his prison term.  [Read more…]

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eBay’s Feedback System: Why It’s Broken

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Back when I first joined eBay (over 10 years ago), I remember that member feedback seemed to have real meaning.  I believe the original intent behind the system was to quantify how people do business, which would create some semblance of an “online reputation”.  [Read more…]