You just can’t fake it
Posted by editor (editor) on Jul 22 2010
2010 >>

A Brisbane man has been fined $1600 for selling a Gold Coast Titan’s jersey complete with fake autographs.

Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor said Glen Beaven had been convicted and fined in the Sandgate Magistrates Court (15/07/10) following an Office of Fair Trading investigation.

“The matter was bought to the OFT’s attention following a complaint from a consumer who’d purchased a signed Gold Coast Titan’s NRL jersey,” Mr Lawlor said.

“The consumer was told the jersey came complete with 18 authentic player autographs and paid $280 for it, however when the consumer was preparing the jersey for framing, he noticed some inconsistencies with the autographs and reported it to the OFT.

“An investigation which included interviews with Titan’s players concluded the signatures were fakes and Beavan was subsequently charged for breaching the Fair Trading Act,” he said.

Beavan was charged with section 40A of the Fair Trading Act, false representation that goods are of a certain quality.

“Queenslanders are very passionate about sport and supporting their sporting heroes and there are many of us who’d like to have our very own piece of sporting history,” Minister Lawlor said.

“Unfortunately there are people out there who prey on this devotion and look to take advantage.”

Mr Lawlor reminded consumers buying sports memorabilia to do a few checks before they parted with their money.

“You should be wary of vendors who are not selling official or certified memorabilia. Always keep records and ask for the authenticity certificate.”

Other precautions to take when buying memorabilia include:

• Carefully read descriptions listed on websites or other advertising. Good listings include a lot of valuable information about the item including a detailed description of its attributes, signature location, and any wear and tear.
• Look at pictures: Sellers should include at least one detailed scan of an item and its certificate of authenticity. Familiarise yourself with an athlete's autograph and make sure you can clearly see it in a photo before you put in a bid.
• Check the product’s history: Find out how a seller came to possess an item. Some obtain athlete autographs in person and others sell licensed autographed items.
• Learn about licensing: Athletes usually have exclusive deals to sign for a particular company. Know which company offers licensed items with his or her autograph.
• Know how much to pay: research the current market value for memorabilia to get a sense of a fair price.
• Pay securely: use websites your browser recognises as secure – look for an unbroken key or padlock. Don’t provide financial information not required for the sale.
• Keep records: Print out your order before sending and note any reference numbers.
• Use common sense when you shop and stay away from items that seem too good to be true.

The Office of Fair Trading’s website (www.fairtrading.gld.gov.au) can provide further helpful tips for buying smart.

The maximum penalty for false and misleading representations is $54,000 for an individual and $270,000 for a corporation.

Last changed: Jul 22 2010 at 11:18 AM