In the $750M-a-year sports memorabilia industry, the FBI has
found that 70% of all autographed merchandise is fraudulent,
according to Scott Bowles of the WASHINGTON POST. Chicago FBI
Agent Bob Long: "That is a conservative estimate. Some
indications are that it may be higher than that. But our policy
is this: If you don't personally see it getting signed, beware,
because more than likely it's phony." Bowles notes the sports
memorabilia market is "teeming with con artists," because of the
"trusting nature of fans." According to those in the business,
signature frauds are most prevalent among "legendary" players who
are still alive and those who are dead. The crimes are
"relatively easy" to commit and the FBI's Long says that makes
"cracking down" on culprits both "difficult and sporadic at best"
(WASHINGTON POST, 10/31).
BOOTLEG MERCHANDISE: Anti-counterfeiting activists say the
sale of unlicensed merchandise is a $200B a year business
nationwide. According to those who sell and buy the bootleg
product, the reason so many counterfeit operations survive is the
"high cost of licensed merchandise" (Anthony Carlise, PITTSBURGH
BUSINESS TIMES, 10/28 issue).
