PSA certifies FAKE 1997 Topps Willie Mays card with FORGED Auto certified by PSA/DNA

[superdan49]

Good evening,

It's no secret to readers of these forums that the 1997 Topps Willie Mays '64 Topps reprint autograph card has been targeted by forgers. (See, for example, here.) The best resource on the subject was written by BO member Thetruthisout on the website Live Autograph Magazine: https://live.autographmagazine.com/f...s-commemorativ

The following card not only bears a forged Willie Mays signature—which passed PSA/DNA authentication—but it is completely counterfeit, despite earning PSA certification (Cert #69287393). It is currently for sale on eBay from seller bradleyh27.









As you can see, the authentic example of this card, graded a PSA 9, bears a signature from Mays with significant flaws and fading. This is a telltale sign of an authentic signature from this set, as whatever marker Topps had Mays use on these cards did not age well with the semi-glossy coating. The forged examples, meanwhile, feature bolder Mays "autographs."

Finally, as proof that this card is fake and not a backdoored, unsigned copy that someone forged, look at the Topps certification stamp in the below image. Scammers never get every detail correct.





In addition to decertifying this particular card, PSA needs to create a flagging system for certain cards from this era, including this Mays, which have been targeted by scammers over the years. Allowing this card to pass both PSA/DNA authentication and PSA certification is a double whammy which should have been completely preventable.

[garyg21]

Similar note… there’s a lot of these Unitas reprint autographs on eBay authenticated by PSA that don’t have the sticker topps put on the back of the originals.

Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36407604290...mis&media=COPY

[Gidtheson]

Thank you for the heads up.
It is beyond time for PSA to come up with an easier system to decertify fake cards.

[THE(NEXT)LEVEL]

Seller TNT was selling a lot of these years ago…

[tconte]

Never get cheated!

[superdan49]

Originally Posted by garyg21

Similar note… there’s a lot of these Unitas reprint autographs on eBay authenticated by PSA that don’t have the sticker topps put on the back of the originals.

Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36407604290...mis&media=COPY

I'm not familiar with those Unitas autos, but they lack the Topps stickers as you pointed out. The 2001 U.D. Legends Unitas is often faked. Here's a counterfeit card graded by PSA and sold on eBay back in October (Cert #61211167). Compare here with a PSA-graded authentic example:

[auburn35]

As Nat has recently posted on twitter about correcting PSA mislabeled cards, I sent a link to this thread and a photo of the counterfeit/forged Mays. Maybe it will get some additional eyes on these incorrectly graded cards.

[DragonWagon]

Added both cards to the Altered Card Database. The Mays card is also now DEACTIVATED by PSA.
https://www.tiffanycards.com/altered-card-database

[superdan49]

Nice work by Auburn sending this to Nat. There's a number of sets from the late-90s to early-2000s era that need to be flagged for greater scrutiny by PSA. Hopefully this thread helps get that done.

[Thetruthisout]

Here's another Willie Mays "2003 Topps Legends" forged counterfeit card that PSA graded (not authenticated). I informed the seller and I convinced them to take it down.

[Cardsandcoffee]

This is really disgusting. Forgers/fakers are really just skid marks of human beings. Hope karma comes around for those pulling evil stunts like that.

[larry25]

Originally Posted by Cardsandcoffee

This is really disgusting. Forgers/fakers are really just skid marks of human beings. Hope karma comes around for those pulling evil stunts like that.

Pretty gross, yeah, but evil? Nah. Reminds me of the guys on here who call card doctors "molesters." Pretty much the textbook moral equivocation. Makes actual evil much less if writing fake names on little pictures of men is also evil.

[Retired hobbist]

Originally Posted by superdan49

I'm not familiar with those Unitas autos, but they lack the Topps stickers as you pointed out. The 2001 U.D. Legends Unitas is often faked. Here's a counterfeit card graded by PSA and sold on eBay back in October (Cert #61211167). Compare here with a PSA-graded authentic example:

Couldn't you tell the card was a fake just of the signature? They aren't even close. I know mine can vary a bit but the general gist is basically the same every time. These signatures don't seem to have any similarities.

[THE(NEXT)LEVEL]

2000 Hank Aaron Golden Anniversary Greats auto is another one with lots of non legit copies.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by Retired hobbist

Couldn't you tell the card was a fake just of the signature? They aren't even close. I know mine can vary a bit but the general gist is basically the same every time. These signatures don't seem to have any similarities.

If they can’t tell that this is a fake, how could they possibly differentiate between an 8 and a 9.

[Thetruthisout]

Here's another Sandy Koufax forged/counterfeit cards. It is listed by Probstein123.

Once again, I did message Rick, so I hope he'll take it down.

[Allen Ginter 99]

Prob was subbed to PSA
By Good ol boy Geoff Wilson


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thetruthisout]

Originally Posted by Allen Ginter 99

Prob was subbed to PSA
By Good ol boy Geoff Wilson


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"Sports Card Investor" Wilson?

[Thetruthisout]

Originally Posted by THE(NEXT)LEVEL

Seller TNT was selling a lot of these years ago…

I exposed a bunch of his (Tntnorthnj) forged/counterfeit cards over the years.

Here is another Willie Mays forged/counterfeit card that has been listed on Ebay forever.

This one has been authenticated by PSA.

[Thetruthisout]

Ebay seller Gofsu2010 sold over 30 Bart Starr forged/counterfeit cards.

[Bruins1993]

Originally Posted by auburn35

As Nat has recently posted on twitter about correcting PSA mislabeled cards, I sent a link to this thread and a photo of the counterfeit/forged Mays. Maybe it will get some additional eyes on these incorrectly graded cards.

Maybe Nat can decertify all the submissions from known card doctors since the 1990's while he is at it?

[pspa123]

Originally Posted by Bruins1993

Maybe Nat can decertify all the submissions from known card doctors since the 1990's while he is at it?

Now that's funny.

[auburn35]

Originally Posted by Bruins1993

Maybe Nat can decertify all the submissions from known card doctors since the 1990's while he is at it?

I was pleasantly surprised to see Nat/PSA take quick action on this Mays but as you mentioned, there's a lot more to correct.

[tonedef2oo8]

Originally Posted by larry25

Pretty gross, yeah, but evil? Nah. Reminds me of the guys on here who call card doctors "molesters." Pretty much the textbook moral equivocation. Makes actual evil much less if writing fake names on little pictures of men is also evil.

Welcome back pbm

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by larry25

Pretty gross, yeah, but evil? Nah. Reminds me of the guys on here who call card doctors "molesters." Pretty much the textbook moral equivocation. Makes actual evil much less if writing fake names on little pictures of men is also evil.

Yeah, I gotta admit, this post is a little PBM-ish. If his next post is “I don’t even know what a PBM is!”, then we definitely know he’s a PBM.