Who is the Seller? - Alleged High Grade AF #15s on E-bay

[esquirecomics]

I quickly scanned the threads and did not see any reference to this topic, so forgive me if I simply missed the discussion.

 

There are two auctions ending soon on e-bay regarding AF #15

 

eBay item 6510331225 (Ends Feb-13-05 09:45:06 PST) - AMAZING FANTASY 15 NM+ 9.6 GORGEOUS

 

eBay item 6510335073 (Ends Feb-13-05 09:57:42 PST) - AMAZING FANTASY 15 NM- 9.2 BEAUTIFUL

 

The seller is "gio72", whose e-mail address is apparently eclipse1078@yahoo.com.

 

Obviously any reasonable person interested in comics (is that possible?!) would be interested in these books. However, there is no way I would spend such a significant amount of money on a raw book without personally inspecting it (unless I knew the seller of course). I wrote the seller and asked:

 

"Are the two AF #15s available to inspect prior to the auction ending? If they meet my satisfaction and I end up bidding, I can pay immediate cash. Please let me know. Send me your contact information so we can coordinate. Thanks! Mark S. Zaid, Esq."

 

The response was:

 

"hello sorry they are not,also there is only 20 hrs left.also i don't take only paypal.my feedback is over 140 and all positive,ive been a user for years now,i offer refunds and any picture you want.bid with no worrys."

 

Now, whenever I see errors of grammar and sentence structure (or responses that don't particularly make sense), an unwillingness to allow inspection of the item, an attempt to persuade a buyer to rely on prior feedback as if that should control without question, and an apparent disdain for cash, my eyebrows go up. I've dealt with e-bay frauds before and there are patterns that one can discern.

 

Some people have told me they suspect this seller is another infamous individual whose name has been discussed elsewhere on these boards. I wrote the seller back questioning them. They responded denying any impropriety. I remain suspicious, but it could be misplaced.

 

I should also note that the other auctions for which this person sold were primarily for small budget items (sometimes a dollar or two) such as single baseball cards or computer printer cartridges. Right now they have four of the top SA comic books on e-bay.

 

Anyone know who this person is?

 

I am cross-posting this thread in several areas on the boards to maximum response.

[FFB]

Mark,

 

I will bet you good money that the seller is Kim Reganato and Johnny Hentrich (formerly operating under the ebay ID "Comicsales24"). They tried to scam me with an Amazing Spider-Man #6 "NM+ 9.6 or 9.8" in 2003 before I joined these forums. The auction style, poor phrasing, punctuation, and grammar, and weird auction terms match very closely, and this seller is even from the same part of NY state.

[Justin Case]

Maybe its Comic-Keys under a new identity

[burntboy]

Maybe its Comic-Keys under a new identity

 

nope - Richard doesn't operate that way. his scheme is fairly unique.

 

as soon as you see an AF#15 in 9.6 that's not slabbed, there's no question about the problem with the auction. that's a $250,000 book. (doug Schmell sold his 9.4 for $150,000 a few months ago).

 

the book may exist but it ain't a 9.6 and it may be restored. quite frankly the same goes for the 9.2 - just too much money involved not to have the book professionally graded and authenticated.

 

and what's the chances of some penny-ante seller coming up with 2 copies in this shape?? often times this means a legitimate seller has had their E-bay account hijacked.

 

stay far, far away.................

[Aman619]

the book is up again after the previous auction ended up being 'sold' to a guy who has been NARUed since....

[baddtiming-migration]

Can you tell me what Comic-keys scam is? I have always stayed away from his auctions but have always wondered about them.

 

Also i got a call from someone who got ripped off by this guy with the AF15's because I was bidding on this auction.

 

Be really careful here, how many times can he relist these?

 

MPM

[FFB]

Can you tell me what Comic-keys scam is? I have always stayed away from his auctions but have always wondered about them.

 

Also i got a call from someone who got ripped off by this guy with the AF15's because I was bidding on this auction.

 

Be really careful here, how many times can he relist these?

 

MPM

 

The seller is Johnny Hertrich. He bought the 9.2 copy from Comic-Keys as a RESTORED 9.2 four months ago. He is posing as someone else with this ebay seller ID.

 

I don't know where he got the "9.6" copy, but I would bet anything that it is restored too.

[Sal]

FFB - I know you're a copyright attorney - at least i think that's right - but in your opinion, how can this not be a fairly cut-and-dried case of fraud?

 

if it's a restored book, that he bought as restored, but not indicating same in this auction, isn't that a textbook case?

 

just curious. oh, and i will take you up on your once-ago offer of places to visit in the Wine country here pretty soon. the wife and i are going to book tickets any day now once we get our vacation days settled at work

[FFB]

FFB - I know you're a copyright attorney - at least i think that's right - but in your opinion, how can this not be a fairly cut-and-dried case of fraud?

 

if it's a restored book, that he bought as restored, but not indicating same in this auction, isn't that a textbook case?

 

just curious. oh, and i will take you up on your once-ago offer of places to visit in the Wine country here pretty soon. the wife and i are going to book tickets any day now once we get our vacation days settled at work

 

I'm not a copyright attorney per se. I don't provide any IP counseling of any kind, except in the context of a specific piece of litigation. I am a litigator who practices in several areas, including IP litigation (trademark, copyright, patent, trade secrets) and commercial litigation (where fraud is often a cause of action).

 

Yes, this is a textbook case of fraud and deceit.

 

As for wine country, just let me know when you want the list and where you're staying in wine country and I'll give you enough places to visit to keep you busy for a week!

[Aman619]

or go see SIDEWAYS!

[Sal]

or go see SIDEWAYS!

 

i have. i forgot to bring a pad and paper in with me to write names down. i guess i could just buy the book, but that would take the fun out of going with the recommendations of complete strangers and casual acquaintences

[FFB]

or go see SIDEWAYS!

 

i have. i forgot to bring a pad and paper in with me to write names down. i guess i could just buy the book, but that would take the fun out of going with the recommendations of complete strangers and casual acquaintences

 

Sideways was filmed in Santa Barbara (central coast), not Napa (northern California). If you're going to be in Napa, you'll be 300 miles away from the places in Sideways.

 

The wine is better in Napa/Sonoma anyway.

[FFB]

or go see SIDEWAYS!

 

i have. i forgot to bring a pad and paper in with me to write names down. i guess i could just buy the book, but that would take the fun out of going with the recommendations of complete strangers and casual acquaintences

 

By the way, no need to write down the names while watching the movie. Here's a rundown of all of the places they went.

 

One wine that isn't on here (because they didn't visit the winery) is the Fiddlehead pinot noir they drank at the Los Olivos Cafe. Fiddlehead's winery is in Davis, CA (up around my part of the state), but Fiddlehead makes such superb wines from Santa Barbara fruit that I am guessing the filmmakers decided that having them order the wine off the list and mention it by name was the next best thing to driving 350 miles out of their way to hit a winery in Davis.

[Aman619]

I went through Napa once years ago and visited a few wineries... but it was all lost on me as I never developed a palate for wine. I did order a pinot noir the night I saw the movie after hearing about it for two hours!! I was really looking forwARD TO A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE. sigh. I Dont think I even finished the glass....

[FFB]

I went through Napa once years ago and visited a few wineries... but it was all lost on me as I never developed a palate for wine. I did order a pinot noir the night I saw the movie after hearing about it for two hours!! I was really looking forwARD TO A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE. sigh. I Dont think I even finished the glass....

 

What did you order?

[Aman619]

I was afraid youd ask that! I asked for their best Californie Pinot Noir so I could be as authentic to the film. I have no idea what it was.

 

you know, I realize my not knowing is as frustrating as talking to a guy who tells you he stumbled on some "really nice interesting" early Spidey books and he cant tell you which issues they were!! But thats how little I know about wine..

[Sal]

or go see SIDEWAYS!

 

i have. i forgot to bring a pad and paper in with me to write names down. i guess i could just buy the book, but that would take the fun out of going with the recommendations of complete strangers and casual acquaintences

 

By the way, no need to write down the names while watching the movie. Here's a rundown of all of the places they went.

 

One wine that isn't on here (because they didn't visit the winery) is the Fiddlehead pinot noir they drank at the Los Olivos Cafe. Fiddlehead's winery is in Davis, CA (up around my part of the state), but Fiddlehead makes such superb wines from Santa Barbara fruit that I am guessing the filmmakers decided that having them order the wine off the list and mention it by name was the next best thing to driving 350 miles out of their way to hit a winery in Davis.

 

repeat after me...faecetious...faecetious.

 

yeah, i was just ragging on that dood. there are freaking tours now that cater to folks wanting to relive the Sideways experience...except the part about getting hit in the face with a motorcycle helmet i guess. that would be not fun.

 

we're going to napa. the wife's always wanted to visit. where we're staying i do not know. i know people who have started a winery - it's called The Donkey and Goat or some such nonsense - and she's thrown a bunch of ideas at us. Ahh, we'll probably wind up at a LaQuinta or something

[FFB]

or go see SIDEWAYS!

 

i have. i forgot to bring a pad and paper in with me to write names down. i guess i could just buy the book, but that would take the fun out of going with the recommendations of complete strangers and casual acquaintences

 

By the way, no need to write down the names while watching the movie. Here's a rundown of all of the places they went.

 

One wine that isn't on here (because they didn't visit the winery) is the Fiddlehead pinot noir they drank at the Los Olivos Cafe. Fiddlehead's winery is in Davis, CA (up around my part of the state), but Fiddlehead makes such superb wines from Santa Barbara fruit that I am guessing the filmmakers decided that having them order the wine off the list and mention it by name was the next best thing to driving 350 miles out of their way to hit a winery in Davis.

 

repeat after me...faecetious...faecetious.

 

yeah, i was just ragging on that dood. there are freaking tours now that cater to folks wanting to relive the Sideways experience...except the part about getting hit in the face with a motorcycle helmet i guess. that would be not fun.

 

we're going to napa. the wife's always wanted to visit. where we're staying i do not know. i know people who have started a winery - it's called The Donkey and Goat or some such nonsense - and she's thrown a bunch of ideas at us. Ahh, we'll probably wind up at a LaQuinta or something

 

Best way to start the trip is to attend Merryvale Vineyard's wine tasting tour and (short) tasting seminar on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It runs from 10:30 to 12:30 or so. It is one of the most fun things I've ever done in Napa, and the guy (Ed) who runs the tour is one of the coolest and most fun people in the valley. The "seminar" is where you are seated in Merryvale's historical cask room, and you taste six wines blind, along with small samples of four core wine components (sugar, alcohol, grape tannin, and acid) and compare the prevalence of each in the six wines in front of you. Very informative, tons of fun, and a nice way to start a day of wine tasting, even if you know your way around a bottle of wine.

 

Lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher across the street. I recommend the ahi tuna burger with Asian slaw and some sweet potato french fries. Liz also loves the milkshakes, but I tend to skip them to keep my waistline measurement in the mid-30s.

 

After that, it's a short, 20-minute drive up oak-lined Spring Mountain Road, where you can spend the day tasting at Paloma, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, and Chrisco37's personal favorite and home of the "Crazy Queen of Spring Mountain," Guilliams. (Call ahead and make reservations at each of these places at least two weeks in advance. They are small wineries and they limit the number of visitors at a time. Allow 1 hour for each winery, which should give you 40 minutes of tasting time plus 20 minutes to travel to the next stop. The view of Napa Valley from the tasting deck at Barnett is incredible, so I like to schedule that one as late in the day as possible to try to catch the sunset.)

 

Follow that up with dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena to cap off an epic "Day to Remember in Wine Country."

 

And that's just day one!!!!

[esquirecomics]

Can't believe you guys hijacked my interesting thread on frauds to talk of wine.

 

At least you could have invited me to share a bottle!

[FFB]

Can't believe you guys hijacked my interesting thread on frauds to talk of wine.

 

At least you could have invited me to share a bottle!

 

Any time you're in the area, you let me know!

 

Sorry about the thread hijack.