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Buyer Beware: Not All Graded Cards Are Covered by eBay Authenticity Program

Buyers should know that not every card is covered by eBay's Authenticity Program, even if bought for more than $250. Cards in certain holders do not qualify, and neither do cards sold as part of a Lot or group of cards.
Horacio Ruiz|
eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee for trading cards is here
eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee for trading cards is here | ebay

About four months ago, I wrote a story for Hobby News Daily about a scammer using fake GAI (Global Authentication Inc.) slabs to sell cards. GAI was a reputable company that operated from about 2002 - 2009. It was once considered a serious competitor to PSA.

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The short version of a long story: A seasoned collector paid $25,000 on eBay for a rare T206 Ty Cobb card in a fake GAI slab. After inspecting the card online, he was confident the Cobb was authentic and assumed the eBay Authenticity Program protected him if it wasn't. The card was genuine, even though the slab came apart when he took it out of its package.

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T206 Ty Cobb Red Portrait
The Ty Cobb card, lower right, was sold in a GAI slab but later crossed over to PSA. | Image Courtesy of Jamie Blundell

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EBay's program protects buyers from scammers by reviewing the authenticity of single raw or graded cards sold for more than $250. The collector figured that since he bought a card for $25,000, it would trigger the $250 threshold to trigger a review.

Some "sellers" bypass the eBay Authenticity program by selling cards not graded by the Big Four: PSA, SGC, CGC, and Beckett. EBay will not inspect cards that are not in those slabs. Smaller grading companies with a loyal customer base have several slabs in the marketplace, including HGA and GMA.

However, GAI went out of business in 2009. While many cards in legit GAI holders are being sold, scammers have caught on that they can use a dead company's likeness to peddle cards in fake slabs.

So, what happened after my story was published? The scammer was tipped off and changed the look on his slabs to make them less obvious fakes. But something encouraging finally happened: buyers are noticing the slabs are fake and posting them in their eBay reviews.

Cards Sold in Lots

Another tactic scammers are using is selling counterfeit cards in Lots. If a listing contains the term "Lot," the cards will not be inspected, even if they are sold for more than $250. Remember, eBay states that it will only review single cards sold for over $250.

It doesn't mean every listing with "Lot" in the description is fraudulent. Still, buyers should do their due diligence with listings for more than $250 and containing multiple cards. Higher-value cards worth hundreds of dollars are typically sold individually rather than in a group with other cards.

What Should I Do?

It's a cliche by now, but as a buyer, do your research and conduct due diligence. Read the fine print on eBay's policies, research the seller, ask the seller questions, and ask a fellow collector their opinion. There's a lot you can do.

The eBay Authenticity Program is far from perfect. A Google search will yield several people dissatisfied with their experience. It's not a knock on eBay; every company drops the ball from time to time. But as a buyer, take comfort in knowing you can take steps to protect yourself. Being aware of policies is half the battle.

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Published | Modified
Horacio Ruiz
HORACIO RUIZ

Horacio is an avid sports card collector and writes about trending card auctions and news across several major hobby sites, including Sports Collectors Daily and Collectibles on SI.

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