I have been taking an extended break from fake card making, but felt the need to make this post. There is yet another person on eBay selling my cards. Not just mine but cards from Dick Allen Hall of Fame, When Topps had Balls, Mets Fantasy Cards, Bob Lemke's Blog, and Johngy's Beat.
I know there are plenty more that I recognize that were not designed by this person. And yet he his selling them along with "reprints" of actual cards.
I have never claimed ownership of the cards I made for this blog. I also have never tried to sell them. I did this for my own amusement. The fact that there are a handful of like-minded people who follow the blog and also enjoy these silly cards is awesome.
I just want anybody who has seen one of my cards and wants one for their own personal collection, please go ahead and print one for yourself. I have seen the finished product this guy is selling and it is awful. I can and have made better prints on my cheapo HP printer. If you want slightly better quality paper, go to the dollar store, buy a sheet of posterboard and cut it into 8.5x11 sheets.
DO NOT PAY ONE SINGLE CENT FOR THESE CARDS
And it should go without saying, don't sell them either. The designs of these cards are based on those owned by the major card companies. The photos were found either on the internet or in old books and magazines. My only claim is that I took the time to cobble them together into a card I wanted to see.
This latest scammer has over 100 cards from this blog alone for sale. (I stopped counting at 125). He has literally hundreds others for sale too. None of them are his. His name on eBay is mr.0ddball420 . Leave him a note telling him what you think of him, but don't buy anything from him.
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Ok, thank you for allowing me to rant. Your reward?
This card I made a few years back but decided it was too stupid to publish. My, how my standards have diminished. Anyway, a week or so late but here is a Valentines Card for you. With Bobby and a handful of lesser known baseball Valentines.
Let me know if you ever decide to pursue this guy besides a post on your blog. I have several friends in the indie craft scene (Especially with cross stitch and embroidery) who have had their work ripped off and sold on sites like Etsy, and a few have taken legal action to end those sales. So I might know a person or two that could help you.
ReplyDeleteI have serious misgivings about Etsy, Littleton, FB Marketplace among others. Be careful out there. Hobbies should be fun, not a war zone. Hope we can seriously address these issues...
DeleteI saw some guy on eBay from Alabama selling some the other day. Can't believe someone would try to sell another persons cards and not at least give them credit for the work.
ReplyDeleteThis guy is from Auburn, AL.
DeleteI just learned of this. I probably have the fewest "stolen" cards on his Ebay site, but it is still annoying.
ReplyDeletei saw one of my creations listed by this guy a few weeks ago. i messaged him but he's still trying to sell it. jackass.
ReplyDeleteWhen I learned about it a few days ago, I sent an email to the bloggers who's work I recognized. There were others, I recognized but couldn't place right away. I should have recognized your work on the several Maury Wills cards, if nothing else. Another person, Keith Conforti, has several pieces on here as well, but I don't know how to contact him.
DeleteThe "When Topps had (Base)Balls" custom card blogger also mentioned this a few days ago on his blog.
ReplyDeleteCan these scammers be reported to eBay for selling stolen merch, or doesn't eBay care?
Jim,
DeleteI sent an email to vero@ebay.com. Not sure what else to do. I did notice a couple cards that I made specifically for your blogs. I don't believe I ever posted them here.
John, a few month ago I also saw some of your custom cards that you made for my blogs (but not posted on your own blog) show up in a google image search. I think there was a '67 Concannon and a few others. They had to be pinched from the group postings I made on my football and baseball blogs. :(
DeleteI've had people sell my stuff, as well (I don't have a card blog; I was posting at the old Baseball-Birthdays site). Mostly, I feel bad for the people who buy the stuff. But, I gotta say, it's pretty low to be stealing from Bob Lemke. That he just passed away makes it even worse. For that alone, Mr. Oddballs should burn in hell.
ReplyDeleteI've seen your stuff. Pretty cool. I miss that web site. I should mention that Bob was selling high quality versions of his cards directly from his blog with realistic and accurate backs. I am not sure if anyone is keeping up with that now that he is gone. But if anyone is interested in QUALITY custom cards, that is the place to buy them.
DeleteOkay. I won't buy your cards, but please start blogging again and making those great cards you create. I am a completionist and need those cards from the 60's that Topps didn't make or put on those multiple rookie cards for my personal collection. The 62 Rich Rollins and 62 Bernie Allen you did were fantastic.
ReplyDeleteBill, I am not done completely, but I see so much of the same on the internet now that it has lost some of it's fun. So I will post at more of a snail's pace. However, if there is something I can make for you, let me know. I might work it into this or my Rating The Rookies blog.
DeleteI messaged the guy and asked if he designed the cards or just printed them. He replied "don't have time for these weird questions".
ReplyDeleteThanks for that. I messaged him too. No reply. I did notice any bad reviews were met by snarky replies. So we know what kind of person he is.
DeleteI have never purchase fake cards from ebay but have made some from your blog on a high quality printer at work. My question is where do you find your photos? I am trying to make a card for Stu Pederson and Mike Glavine for my baseball families collection and can't find any Major League color photos out there.
ReplyDeleteEbay has shut this parasite down, and removed all of his listings. In fact, they shut down almost all of the eBay sellers who were selling fake cards last month.
ReplyDeleteThey did not unlist ACEO cards, factory-made cards, or authorized reprints. They went after the ink jet guys - a wise decision by eBay.
I happen to like the "Cards that Never Were" and believe they are good for the hobby. How else can a kid buy a "rookie" card of Mickey Mantle? Most kids don't have $10k to spend!
But those who make and sell them should be clear about what they are, should not steal designs made by others, and should make a quality product - nothing made on an ink jet printer qualifies.
Just wanted to share the news that no one is selling your designs now, and also thank you for a great blog. I really enjoy it.
Good to know! Thanks for the update.
ReplyDelete