Is this Ebay listing fraudulent?

[JIM F.]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-1-oz-999-9-CLAD-GOLD-CREDIT-SUISSE-BAR-Fun-Gifts-for-A-small-Investment-/111129259142?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19dfd1ec86

[KeeNoooo]

Because its a "copy"?

[benjmurts]

Doesn't appear to be. Copper bar with gold plating, poorly worded to get people to buy. If it is in the description then I don;t think it is fraudulent

[$ilverHawk]

Yes, listing is fraudulent. The listing is included in searches for real Credit Suisse bars. More importantly please note in the description that the seller states that "copy" is stamped on the reverse.

 

Does anyone see the word "copy" on the reverse pics?

 

I don't care to aid Ebay or PayPal, but someone should report this listing.

 

Just MHO.

 

Carl

[BruceS]

Yes, listing is fraudulent. The listing is included in searches for real Credit Suisse bars. More importantly please note in the description that the seller states that "copy" is stamped on the reverse.

 

Does anyone see the word "copy" on the reverse pics?

 

I don't care to aid Ebay or PayPal, but someone should report this listing.

 

Just MHO.

 

Carl

Very deceptive , but yes it does say copy in very small lettering on back lower right.

[mikew148]

Starts off being a little deceptive but the seller makes it very clear that this is a "fun" investment.

 

If the BIN price was closer to the price of an ounce of gold I would have an issue with it. Does anybody seriously think they could obtain an ounce of gold for $14?

[okbustchaser]

If someone is so greedy to rip off a seller by stealing an ounce of gold for 14 bucks that he doesn't bother to actually look at what he is buying then tough nougies if he gets fleeced.

 

 

No fraud here. Seller is providing exactly what he says that he is selling.

[CaptHenway]

Yes it is fraudulent because it uses the word "investment."

 

When I was a full-time coin dealer and a member of the PNG and selling bullion, I could not use the word "investment" because I was not a licensed investment broker. I highly doubt that this seller is either.

[coinman_23885]

If someone is so greedy to rip off a seller by stealing an ounce of gold for 14 bucks that he doesn't bother to actually look at what he is buying then tough nougies if he gets fleeced.

 

 

No fraud here. Seller is providing exactly what he says that he is selling.

 

+1

[skeeter]

Here's my story. locally purchased ten 1 oz silver bars with known silver supplier engraved on bar for $20 each ( silver bullion was about $25 at the time ).

Previously researched the company and the photos looked OK.

After examining the bars , noticed that the engraved block letters were very slightly not as sharp as the legit company so used a magnet and they were clad plated.

The seller actually had the word clad buried in the description which I didn't notice at first. ( these bars did not have COPY anywhere on the slab)

The seller refunded my money the same day. I gave him $20 to keep one as a reminder and used a black magic marker and wrote FAKE across the back. Keeps me more on my toes when I run across it in the junk box.

Skeeter

 

[johnny9434]

clad gold. its good for a stocking stuff thats about it

[$ilverHawk]

Yep, I see it now. That is the very definition of deceptive. This auction is by almost anyone's standards a scam and an open opportunity to continue the scam, any willing participants are simply furthering the scam.

 

Ebay auctions such as this particular one are based on greed and false presentations hoping to lure the uniformed buyer into making a purchase.

 

So sad.

 

Carl

[rodorr]

 

Unless he has changed the title of the auction since the o.p. posted, I see no deception. The title clearly reads 'Clad', and clad is clad. He also repeats clad several times in the body of the auction listing along withe the word 'layered' and 'Fun'. I see no deception. If someone thinks they are going to get a 24K solid gold bar, they need to get a different avocation.

 

rodorr

[Conder101]

And in the desription he clearly states that it is a copper bar layered with 999.9 fine gold. So is it deceptive? Maybe, but much less so than 99.9% of all the commercials out there on radio or telivision., And for ebay it is actually very tame.

[TWCableMan-migration]

This just goes to show that you should READ the entire listing

[WoodenJefferson]

I think it's 'misleading' but not fraudulent as to purposely deceive.

 

Apparently they used a 'real' bar, but worded it as PROOF-LIKE & UNCIRCULATED

 

AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE. . .but the clad one you will get will have the word 'copy' on the back.

 

I do believe Big Pete needs a reminder that the listings are skirting the rules and regulations of e-Bay policies, Big Pete would immediately conform. (but not until someone complains)

[Conder101]

As pointed out earlier the bar in the picture does have COPY on the back.

[WoodenJefferson]

[Raisethis2]

 

 

What gets me is that 131 people looked at that listing. When I post a real coin in high grade condition at a fair price with decent pictures I get 3 looks with no bids.

 

Bottomfeeders always want something for nothing.

[okbustchaser]

 

What gets me is that 131 people looked at that listing. When I post a real coin in high grade condition at a fair price with decent pictures I get 3 looks with no bids.

 

Bottomfeeders always want something for nothing.

 

Maybe you don't have your listing advertised on coin forums.

[MarkFeld]

 

What gets me is that 131 people looked at that listing. When I post a real coin in high grade condition at a fair price with decent pictures I get 3 looks with no bids.

 

Bottomfeeders always want something for nothing.

 

I wouldn't automatically equate the number of lookers for such an item with "bottomfeeders". That seems like quite a leap, including a big assumption, to me. And not all "bottomfeeders" want something for nothing, either.

 

Other than that, I agree with your post.

[WoodenJefferson]

 

What gets me is that 131 people looked at that listing. When I post a real coin in high grade condition at a fair price with decent pictures I get 3 looks with no bids.

 

Bottomfeeders always want something for nothing.

 

Human nature is hard to resist, it's in all of us to find something with little to no effort...that's what's appealing on a TV show like Antiques Roadshow where someone brings in a vase they bought at a garage sale for $2.00 and it turns out to be a four figure Lalique...they are not bottomfeeders as much as they are opportunists, making something happen.

 

Course, you do have that element scouring e-Bay looking for listing mistakes and items with no bids that they can snag at the last second, but not everyone is like that, maybe deep down, but it never rears it's ugly head.

 

The numbers for this listing were skewed because the listing was posted to a chat board, then questioned. Most had to see for themselves, so they clicked the easy link and viewed the auction.

 

BAM...lots of viewers! Even though it was viewed over 100 times, the seller only sold 1 out of 39 available, so they in turn are poo-pooed too. I've expended way too much time and effort responding here, so I shall leave it at that.

 

Bottomfeeders keep the slime off the glass so we can see the real fish in the tank.

[CollectorCorner-migration]

This very well could be copyright violation. They took a legitimate product from one manufacturer and modified it, more than likely without their permission.

 

They modified the product and then are potentially offering them for resale. The original manufacturer will receive the brunt of complaints about the validity of the product since it has their name on it. The person performing the act in the ad mentioned above could be held liable in a court of law for damages.

 

Another shady person could take these and simply offer them up on another site as gold bars at a reduced cost and be sold out in a few minutes. Then they simply run for the hills with their money.

 

They further implicate themselves by stamping COPY on the product. I thought Ebay had rules against offering anything that was duplicated - especially the duplication of US Coins.

 

two ways of handling this. Credit Suisse can be notified of the event, and they can request that Ebay pull the ad. Ebay can be notified about the incident and they will review and act accordingly.

 

 

[slingshot-migration]

Not in my opinion but, one had better read the listing all the way through as one could draw the wrong conclusions based upon the title. Right off the bat I thought why so cheap for 1 once of silver. However, it is coated and thusly the price is explained.

[derryb]

fraudulent because the bar is counterfeit. CREDIT SUISSE does not make plated gold bars. The word copy on it does not negate the fact that CREDIT SUISSE is being misrepresented as the manufacturer.

 

Ebay recent change prevents plated items from appearing in any bullion category (this one does not). Ebay needs to eliminate all plated items in the coin and currency category.

 

Often sellers will use the "100 MILL" description to avoid stating that an item is plated.

 

 

[okbustchaser]

fraudulent because the bar is counterfeit. CREDIT SUISSE does not make plated gold bars. The word copy on it does not negate the fact that CREDIT SUISSE is being misrepresented as the manufacturer.

 

Ebay recent change prevents plated items from appearing in any bullion category (this one does not). Ebay needs to eliminate all plated items in the coin and currency category.

 

Often sellers will use the "100 MILL" description to avoid stating that an item is plated.

 

 

Not fraudulent. A (IMO, very strong) case could be made that the manufacturer is guilty of infringing upon Credit Suisse's trade dress, but that is a civil matter between Credit Suisse and the manufacturer of the bar (and to a lesser extent, the seller).

 

As for the listing itself, the seller is quite open about what he is selling. No fraud here, either.