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Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles
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misterspock
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 10:15 am

Lazerrus wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:Well everyone I must say I am not sure if I should feel bad for starting this thread or not.

I wouldn't sweat it. Better we all know than any of us getting taken advantage of further.

cdenham wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:My response from the seller when I filed a counterfeit claim -

"no refunds sorry they are reproductions"

As of now, I have to wait until the Ebay allotted time goes by to push for my refund. I'm going to try to get Ebay to accelerate this since they've admitted they were fakes.

Anyone pursuing legal action? I'll file a complaint as well. :)

yeah to name a few, #1, there was nothing stated in any auctions about being reproductions
#2, he/they claimed employment with the company or got them from an employee of the company
#3, they don't have any license or agreement with Bergamot to manufacture or sell reproductions (or the other Wisconsin company for their other items)
#4, they don't have any license with Hasbro/Wotc to manufacture or sell reproductions

Don't forget that if you paid using Paypal with your credit card, you can file for a refund with your credit card.

stahlnee wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:One known email address use for this fraulent activity is

famousfivestar@yahoo.com

that email links to Pendleton's fb account (old?) if you do a search on facebook using that email.

honestly, I think ebay and paypal in general could care less about sellers, unless it impacts their bottom line. The local police/sheriff, the USPS Inspector General and possibly FBI (?) I think are the better route to go for filing. For those that bought them within the last several years, I would think that you could file in small claims court. But the one most likely to get traction out of it would be in Orange County, California where Pendleton lives since he was on the Paypal account and directly received the money.

dragonsbreath
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 12:50 pm

pearsonmichael sent you a message about your request:

"reproduction absolutely no refunds sorry have a great day"

To reply now, see your request details.

The latest message I got as well- time to push forward...

stahlnee
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 3:52 pm

FBI wrt online purchase
ic3.gov

Hasbro HQ to talk with legal department
800-242-7276

ExTSR
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 4:09 pm

misterspock wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:#3, they don't have any license or agreement with Bergamot to manufacture or sell reproductions (or the other Wisconsin company for their other items).

Look on the back of the repro.
If it says "Bergamot Brass", then it's clear-cut fraud, like putting "Coach" on a leather belt you made.

Lazerrus
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 8:41 pm

ExTSR wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:
misterspock wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:#3, they don't have any license or agreement with Bergamot to manufacture or sell reproductions (or the other Wisconsin company for their other items).

Look on the back of the repro.
If it says "Bergamot Brass", then it's clear-cut fraud, like putting "Coach" on a leather belt you made.

Frank they DO say Bergamot Brass.

cdenham
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 8:47 pm

Lazerrus wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:Frank they DO say Bergamot Brass.

I wish we could get them involved in pursuing these fine, outstanding folks. It seems that they would have the best case. Maybe I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Carpe DM!

stahlnee
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 8:57 pm

Left a message with Lisa at Hasbro legal department.

Finished submitting information to FBI.

The more that do this the more likely it will be handled.

grodog
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 9:04 pm

Agreed: reproductions are illegal without consent of the owners of the copyright and trademarks. This is now fraud, and criminal charges could probably be filed.

IME, anyone who paid for their buckles via PayPal via credit card should simply file a dispute directly with your credit card instead of going through eBay/Paypal. Your credit card is on your side, eBay/Paypal is on the seller's side. (This is not legal advice, and it's possible that eBay/Paypal have changed their tune since 2009, but this is my recommendation based on a similar ugly mess....).

Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
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FoulFoot
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 9:07 pm

Your best bet is to pursue the legal department at Hasbro / WotC, as you've done. It's a relatively minor affair to issue a cease-and-desist letter, which if not obeyed, can result in the perpetrators being dragged into court.

The FBI won't do anything. You'd need to be up around the $100,000 fraud loss mark to even have a chance of attracting federal law enforcement attention.

Foul

dragonsbreath
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:22 pm

I just escalated my cases with eBay- This was what I wrote:

This seller is selling COUNTERFEIT Belt buckles. He was selling them as originals, which is what I thought I was buying,then he then claimed they were reproductions AFTER I purchased. I intended to purchase old-new stock, not reproductions.
#1, there was nothing stated in any auctions about being reproductions
#2, they don't have any license or agreement with Bergamot to manufacture or sell reproductions (or the other Wisconsin company for their other items)
#3, they don't have any license with Hasbro/Wotc to manufacture or sell reproductions.
It's clear-cut fraud, like putting "Coach" on a leather belt you made.
Reproductions are illegal without consent of the owners of the copyright and trademarks. This is now fraud, and criminal charges could probably be filed.
I want a full refund and the seller is not cooperating despite the fact he is operating a criminal enterprise.

Feel free to borrow from my response as I have borrowed from the helpful posts here. I will let you know what happens in 48 hours!

muaddib5
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:31 pm

Pearson sent me two additional messages. Basically saying he hasn't done anything wrong and it's all on Pendleton. He also said he's best buds with the Gregg County Sheriff's deputies and Gladewater cops so he's not worried. Then he politely gave me Jesus' blessing 8O

I can't believe that eBay has continued to let Pearson's account stay active. I'm very disappointed in eBay.

These two goofs got over for a few years. But we busted it up and now just have to be on the lookout for the fakes buckles!

I should set up a website detailing this entire scheme and outing them. And to get the word out to the collecting community about the fakes.

Home - Gen Con Wisconsin 1968 2002

Last edited by muaddib5 on Tue May 12, 2015 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

dragonsbreath
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:33 pm

Ultimate irony? I hopped on to Facebook after escalating my claim and what do I see along the side, in the ad area :

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

muaddib5
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 1:08 pm

dragonsbreath wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:Ultimate irony? I hopped on to Facebook after escalating my claim and what do I see along the side, in the ad area :

LOL! When I went on the other day, both Michael Pearson and Joe Pendleton were in the "you might know these people" to friend "ads" 8O

I got a chuckle out of that!

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stahlnee
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 4:51 pm

Another avenue is theTexas Rangers
TxDPS - Texas Rangers Contact Information

I spoke with them earlier and if the FBI is not going to pursue they will put me in touch with the Ranger who covers Gregg county to discuss with them.

Keep all communications in case the Ranger ask me for it.

muaddib5
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 4:59 pm

stahlnee wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:Another avenue is theTexas Rangers
TxDPS - Texas Rangers Contact Information

I spoke with them earlier and if the FBI is not going to pursue they will put me in touch with the Ranger who covers Gregg county to discuss with them.

Keep all communications in case the Ranger ask me for it.

Very cool. If anyone needs the "transcript" of my chat with Pearson I can send it to them or post here for download.

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muaddib5
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 10:38 pm

Short, sweet, and to the point - "no refunds".

Four days until I can get eBay involved.

Home - Gen Con Wisconsin 1968 2002

Badmike
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 10:26 am

muaddib5 wrote in Interesting eBay alert! TSR belt buckles:Pearson sent me two additional messages. Basically saying he hasn't done anything wrong and it's all on Pendleton. He also said he's best buds with the Gregg County Sheriff's deputies and Gladewater cops so he's not worried. Then he politely gave me Jesus' blessing 8O

I can't believe that eBay has continued to let Pearson's account stay active. I'm very disappointed in eBay.

These two goofs got over for a few years. But we busted it up and now just have to be on the lookout for the fakes buckles!

I should set up a website detailing this entire scheme and outing them. And to get the word out to the collecting community about the fakes.

Facebook page is a good option, people who got hosed or think they did could check in...

Mike B.

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JasonZavoda
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 11:36 am

What amazes me is the quality of these reproductions. Is this a product of new technology (3d printer for example) or old fashioned skill. My first guess would be technology. A 3d scan, which could develop a perfect mold, but is there also some kind of metal molding process that has been developed for small scale work?

As a side note, in the miniatures community I have been hearing about a number of old expensive Games Workshop metal miniatures that have been faked by Chinese firms and are being sold as originals.

"You get more with a kind word and an excruciator than with just a kind word."

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