Sellers of phony baloney sports memorabilia are tainting the billion-dollar-a-year sports industry. Scammers prey on individuals who love sports and are willing to lay down cash for purchases that reflect their fanaticism; their commitment to a team or favorite player.
Fearing that a rare, autographed item at the “right” price will get away, a frenzied fan often exits an auction with what he believes to be a little piece of history. However, instead of being signed by his favorite sports figure, what he has actually purchased is a replica of the real thing. Without proper authentication, an autograph is basically only worth the material on which it was signed.