bc

-bc EDIT: If you look at the sales dates of the books, your wife was correct. -bc

Well, he did get an RV out of it as well. -bc

Over $30K of books converted to cash in the last few months. -bc

More likely, he's getting out of Dodge. -bc

-bc

Think the idea of printing any code on the inner well in-line to the manufacturing process is going to create cost, processing and QC issues. Talked about this option before...here's a more verbose thought: Step 1: Grab a bag of microchips and a few readers. Microchips are extremely tiny, heat resistant and durable. They come from the factory with a hardware-based unique serial number. Step 2: Create a new field in the Certification database. Call it something like "MChip_ID". Make it a hidden (internal only) field. Make it a required field (once tested, validated and documented). Step 3: Install a reader at the inner well sealing "station". It's basically like a bar code reader and easy to interface into an existing assembly line. Step 4: When the top of the inner well is ready to be sealed, place a microchip right in the center of the top sealing weld. Basically, laminate it into the top of the inner well. Step 5: Scan the now sealed book's microchip into the new database field "MChip_ID" and pass it to the outer shell station. The Certification database now has a record of source that links that microchip ID to the legacy Certification fields. Any time a book comes in for a reholder or ME, the microchip ID is scanned to confirm it is valid and matches the Certification database record and pictures. No microchip, no reholder/ME - must be regraded. If the inner holder is compromised in any way - must be regraded. Scammers can't switch the outer holder or labels as the microchip ID in the inner well travels with the "original" book. -bc

Thank you kind sir! -bc

Anybody care to share a recent OSPG pic for Amazing Adventures & Amazing Adult Fantasy? Thinking of letting those go here on the boards at guide. The most recent I have is the 34th edition from 2004. Not quite sure I want to use that pricing, although some people would probably enjoy it Thanks in advance! -bc

A lot of talk about the FBI in this thread. I'd be more worried about the IRS if the perp was making the money identified by @comicwiz (possibly 7 figures). Maybe that's where the SS books come in - a way to offset/hide the profits using legitimate books. Almost like a money laundering/tax evasion operation. -bc

Motivated does not equal creativity. Found an easy loophole and worked his way to high dollar books. -bc

I don't think this party was that motivated. He found an easy exploit and milked it. -bc EDIT: I may be 100% wrong, but don't see any evidence up until this point

The party is a high volume submitter. With the amount of ME's and shipping damage that's been posted in the QC thread, how do we not know that the party wasn't taking the doctored slabs and just bashing in the corner (which would hide their handy work) and resubbing them? -bc

I'm 100% sure that this reholdering scam exposed in this thread is not the only one happening in the collectibles world right now. Having a blank slab is quite a bit different than swapping books and taking advantage of a compromised process. -bc

I agree 100%. Just don't think the scamming party is doing a full-blown recreation of the slabbing process. Doesn't make sense to me. Too big of a footprint/investment when all thats needed is a heat gun and a nice screwdriver to swap in the donor book and then send them off to CGC. -bc

I personally don't believe that is an option. He/They manipulated a vulnerable process/system/product for financial gain. Why invest in all that when they could have CGC "validate" their work? -bc

It's all good man, no need to apologize -bc

I got mine new for $25 - $33 and change with shipping. Was a New Years Day sale at bookoutlet.com. -bc

So I grabbed a raw copy of AA1, 3 and AAF8 & 10 and compared them to that Marvel Omnibus and from what I can see, the contents haven't been altered. Colors & inks look like the originals. All the stories are there including the 2 page text story - just missing the ads. Major difference is the glossy paper. Since I saw you reacted @DR.X, the Christmas contest book you sent was 1000% better packaged than Amazons. -bc

My point in reposting that was to bring up the historic precedence that the elective reholdering process has been compromised for years in one way or another with little change to processes or QC. -bc

-bc

Not really sure that matters if he damages the corner and claims an ME or shipping damage after the swap. -bc

I want to thank you for the update. Couldn't figure out which reaction to use because this made me a little sad, a little happy and a little thankful. -bc

So custom labels were introduced in July 2016 (thanks to whoever posted this earlier). One of the better known board catches with custom label scams goes back to July 2020: Not saying this could have been a catalyst for the current scammer, but it showed potential flaws with the "elective" reholder process. Almost makes me want to graph out the dates that this scheme involved to see if there is a noticeable growth pattern around specific periods and custom label timeframes or changes to the ME process. -bc EDIT: It actually goes back farther than that:

Found an Amazon gift card with a few bucks on it that I used to purchase this: It's the complete collection of Amazing Adventures/Amazing Adult Fantasy/Amazing Fantasy. This 450 page tome also includes all the OA for AF15, including the unused Ditko cover and the back-up stories. Just cracked it open at lunch here at work - can't wait to get home to check it out! -bc

The scammer likely worked his way up, testing the waters (that's what I would have done). Think that's why many are asking for the account's total submission list. -bc