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Home » Consumer Information » White Collar Crime

Celebrity Memorabilia Fraud

People from all walks of life are interested in learning more about their favorite celebrities, from actors to musicians to sports stars and anyone who achieves fame in the public eye. It is common for people to want some form of memorabilia that reminds them of a favorite celebrity. This memorabilia is often displayed in their homes or offices, and can be among the most treasured items some people possess.

Criminals are opportunists who will take advantage of a situation that they can benefit from. Some criminals have set out to scam fans of celebrities by offering fraudulent items for sale. This is commonly done on public websites where merchandise is sold or traded.

Phony signatures

Perhaps the most widespread scam regarding celebrity memorabilia is selling an item with a forged signature. This can be done on an variety of items that people may want to purchase. Sports fans might invest in a baseball, football or basketball that was supposedly autographed by their favorite teams or players, when in reality the signatures are just worthless forgeries. Autographed photos of celebrities are big sellers, but these signatures may also be fake, or copies of a photograph that actually was signed. These reprinted photos are not considered valuable by collects because they were not touched or signed by the celebrity in question.

Operation bullpen

Due in part to the growing popularity of online auction sites, items with falsified signatures have become very common. Some experts estimate that up to 90% of all autographed items that are sold via the internet are fake. The FBI put together a task force known as Operation Bullpen to deal with this problem. They investigate claims of fraudulent autographs and work to put a stop to this crime.

Personal items or merchandise

Another commonly sold article is a personal item that was supposedly used by a celebrity, or merchandise that a celebrity is purported to have handled such as clothing or jewelry. The problem with this type of crime is that it can be difficult or impossible to know if the item in question was ever actually touched by the celebrity, so it is nearly impossible to prove fraud in these cases.

How to avoid memorabilia fraud

Rule number one is that when you are in doubt, do not purchase the memorabilia. Especially items that are claimed to have been used by celebrities, for which no proof of that usage is available.

Fans who wish to purchase autographs of their favorite celebrities can deal with authorized dealers who sell their items with proof of authentication. While these items may be more expensive, you will know that they come from a reputable source and will have the peace of mind that what you are buying is the genuine article.

Anytime you plan to purchase any celebrity memorabilia, keep in mind the source it is available from and do any research you can to authenticate the item. Keep the old adage in mind that if a deal appears to be too good to be true, it probably is. Buying celebrity merchandise from anyone other than a certified dealer puts you at risk of being scammed by someone who is committing fraud.

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