MatterEaterLad

On 12/27/2023 at 1:45 PM, Point Five said:

Don't worry. He's got this.
 

Did he actually leave that post up?

On 12/27/2023 at 11:05 AM, Heronext said:

Could you clarify whether the CGC fan page on Facebook is actually administered/moderated by them or just some fans?

Unknown. I can't remember the name of the main mod, but he bans anyone who says anything even slightly negative about CGC.

The group is called CGC Comic Fans. 

Um...so do you think this is also happening with Voldy's slabs? This could be widespread across the grading industry.

On 12/27/2023 at 8:04 AM, comicwiz said:

This is a repost of a Green/Qualified 7.0 becoming a Blue/Universal 7.5

4115260001 - Incredible Hulk 181 Qualified 7.0 (Incomplete) (GD: 08/24/2022)

4115170002 - Incredible Hulk 181 Universal 7.5 (GD: 08/24/2022)

So...were these two books originally subbed on the same day? Then swapped and sent in for reholdering?

On 12/26/2023 at 3:58 PM, skybolt said:

My apologies for getting the dates wrong, but my comment stands. What I'm saying is the book graded on 2/28 is not the same book in the universal holder now. That one was a legitimate universal 6.5.  if the scammer switched this book with green label one and sent it in for reholdering a month later, the grading date would remain as 2/28, but with the green label book in there now. 

Ahhh... I see what you're saying. I thought it was the same book. 

On 12/26/2023 at 3:28 PM, skybolt said:

I think what people are saying is that the actual 2/23/2023 grading date of the qualified book is correct. This book was graded by CGC on that date, no questions asked. However, an unrestored copy of Hulk #181 was graded 2/26/2023, but it could be a completely different book inside the case. Once the scammer bought this book (or perhaps he was the original submitter) let's say in mid March. He then did the whole switcheroo, submitted the book back to CGC in late March, but because it was a straight reholder, it kept the original grading date of 2/26, but with a different book in the case.

I hear ya Sky, I do. I'm not talking about that book.

Read what comicwiz shared on page 126. 

A green book was originally graded on 2/24, then regraded with a blue label on 2/28 (over the weekend). It's the same green book, switched to a blue label, with a DIFFERENT cert#. 

This is making my head hurt. 

On 12/26/2023 at 2:30 PM, darkstar said:

The grade date on the page for the universal copy is the original grading date. It doesn't update when the book is submitted for a re-holder and/or custom label. The book was graded in February and didn't sell until June, plenty of time to have it sent back for a re-holder or custom label.

There is no way someone at CGC could be doing this, to somehow manage to sequester tens or hundreds of shipments from a single submitter, and then be solely responsible for all of those books from intake to shipping? Absolutely not, there is no way the division of labor is broken down like that.  

I'm not talking about a Blue book being switched with a lesser quality Blue book. This Hulk 181 was originally given a Green label, then regraded to Blue, in one working day, so no time for it to be sent to the seller for the switch. You could argue this was a mistake, but that same mistake has happened with 5 other Hulk 181s all sold by the same person. The switch of either the book or the label happened at CGC.

On 12/26/2023 at 1:53 PM, Paul III said:

I really don't think this is an inside person. You can run this scam backwards or forwards depending on the outcome you need.

The dates in the grader's notes are hard to explain away.

A Hulk 181 was graded Green on a Friday and then Blue on the following Tuesday. There's no way someone got their book shipped to them, did the switch, and shipped it back for grading in one working day (Monday). There's someone doing this at CGC, then someone else doing the selling.  

On 12/26/2023 at 12:53 PM, WestcoastDAVEngers said:

So what are we looking at here? Is this skewing a little towards an inside person who forgot to update the scan? my brain hurts.

Since it's looking more and more like an inside job, what's easier to switch, the comic or the label? I would guess the label.

On 12/26/2023 at 12:09 PM, pdags said:

I thought I'd spot check ShortBoxed for anything suspicious... A book I posted about on tab 75 is for sale there and should be considered tampered with.  I'm not saying the seller on Shortboxed is Briva3.  The seller could simply be reselling the book that they purchased 2 years ago (see below post).

https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/1295091001/

https://shortboxed.page.link/YhMK. (You'll most likely need the App on your phone to open this link?)

See below post for what I believe to be the original book and the now fradulent book.

 

 

 

 

If you want to report this their email is accounts@shortboxed.com

On 12/25/2023 at 11:03 PM, skybolt said:

Perhaps they're waiting to meet with representatives from Blackstone first. I doubt we'll get anything until early January.

In June of this year Blackstone hit $1 trillion in assets. That's all CGC is to them, an investment. I don't think they have anything to do with the operations of their assets aside from maybe approving the CEO, or approving board members. Though if CGC's financials were to tank, that's another thing...

On 12/25/2023 at 9:50 PM, Taxi Driver said:

The old quandary how far do you go to help others! I totally understand and not judging just surprised. That's why I see this ending with as someone else posted a "Will Smith" slap on the wrist by CGC and nothing more. He'll keep doing it somewhere else more than likely, sadly. 

I'm surprised as well. This is a serious blow to the integrity of the collecting world. Just say the name. If it's the Breva person whose name is on the mailing label, I doubt that's the person pulling off the switch at CGC. There's more than one person in on this.

On 12/23/2023 at 7:48 PM, agamoto said:

And how the heck does a 36 year old have a 30 year history with comics. Gotta be careful doxxing people like this. Common for scammers to use fake names or names of their neighbors etc.

Maybe Bree Riva is his wife/girlfriend and he's using her eBay account because his previous one was flagged or shut down?

Has this already been posted? 

https://bleedingfool.com/blogs/fraud-by-any-other-name-the-cgc-comic-grading-scandal/

Has @CGC Mike said anything yet?

NOT blaming Mike for the silence. He's one of the best mods we've ever had. I'm sure he's well aware of what's going on but not allowed to say at the moment (unless I missed it). Who knows, there may be an active police investigation going on and they don't want to show their hand before they nab the guy(s) laundering books. They could be a big dealer for all we know, an auction house employee, etc.

Wow, the admins of CGC's FB fan group are deleting any post that even mentions reholdering. As in, "Maybe I should get this reholdered?" = Instant delete.

On 12/22/2023 at 9:00 AM, comicwiz said:

Which one is that?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cgccomicsfans

Maybe this Admin is a CGC employee?

The largest CGC group on FB, which has 37k members, has been deleting posts about this.