eBay Fraud Example (guide for buyers)

[Pearls_by_Angela_Carol]

In the different threads here it has been discussed over and over how most of the pearl sellers on eBay are not selling you what you think you are buying. I just though that I would post a good example that I came across. These three auctions are from three different sellers. You will notice that not only are the pearls clearly not what is advertised, but they are also all three using the same photo.

http://cgi.ebay.com/10MM-TAHITIAN-P...844QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120039490232
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-TAHITIAN-P...844QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120038531454
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-TAHITIAN-S...844QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120039505798

This photo is actually pretty popular on eBay. Just is a quick search of Tahitian pearls I found no less than 6 different sellers using this photo to sell Tahitian pearls.

Anther example would be this photo
http://cgi.ebay.com/Delicate-Blue-T...553QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260039118077

This is one that is reused quite often by different sellers also.

The advice that I have is to never trust the photo that you see in the listing. When looking at pearls on eBay, as part of your investigation, email the seller. Ask them for other photos of the same piece and specify how you want the photo taken (possibly with a coin beside of the piece, or from a certain angle). If you ask for a specific photo and receive it, then you are more certain that they actually own the piece they are trying to sell. If they refuse to send you another photo of your choice, beware. If they are selling multiple items and then tell you they do not have a camera to take another photo - run away (if they have multiple items, and have multiple photos, they should have access to a camera).

I know this has all been discussed before, but it was just on my mind - especially after I found all those photos that were being reused. I thought it would be useful to see an example.

 

[Rosomane]

The pics aren't even close to Tahitian pearls! The first two are clearly lavender CFW and the blue ones are either dyed or Photoshop'd to look blue (that color blue in pearls must be about as common as a blue rose or purple Plumeria).
My first rule is never buy from vendors located in China on eBay. All the substandard pearls have to go somewhere.... So all the goofy pictures and descriptions like "noble" & the bad grammar/spelling etc. don't get anywhere with me.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi,

The pictures really look more like shell pearls, even the "dusty rose" color although those could be freshwater but certainly not of the sizes stated because there are way too many in the strand for that.

Zeide

 

[DFrey]

Hi Zeide,
I did a quick search on the site and couldn't find an explanation of what is meant by" shell pearl". What is a shell pearl I have seen them on many chinese sites selling pearls?

Doug

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Douglas,

Here is an example of shell or seashell pearls: http://cgi.ebay.com/Delicate-18-5-B...62QQihZ013QQcategoryZ3844QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Zeide

 

[DFrey]

Hi Zeide,
You gave me exactly what I asked for, thanks. What I meant to say is I did a search of pearl-guide.com and couldn't find any reference info about " shell pearls " and I am wondering are they cultured ,constructed from shell or how are they produced? What are they?

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Douglas,

Shell pearls have a mother of pearl bead at the core upon which several layers of some pearly looking substance have been applied. There are various basic application techniques at various price points available. The cheapest method are seven layers of dyed pearl powder dissolved in acrylic paint and sprayed onto the bead and the most expensive version precipitates aragonite crystals from a supersaturated solution onto the nucleus. The latter kind sells for hundreds of dollars by mail order and over a thousand dollars a strand on airports and in jeweler's stores. Even the simple kind costs easily a hundred dollars and over in retail world because they have substantial weight.

Zeide

 

[jshepherd]

Really?! I thought Stauer's bioscientists created them by pulling a seed out of a live oyster! You mean this whole story is just that - a story?!
http://www.stauer.com/?sectionpath=1/240/246&pageid=997

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Jeremy,

I am still not quite sure what the Stauer people have in mind there. The "seed pulling" sounds like an extraction of a natural pearl sac. However, full in vitro culturing is way more expensive than making a pearl plated bead in vivo. I don't think their beads are even the precipitate kind because those are also more expensive to produce than what they are selling their beads for. I thusly assume they have no clue of what they are talking about and just confabulated something from bits and pieces of information here and there to hype up the standard illegal-tridacna-bead-avec-pearly-acrylic-spray-paint stuff from Vietnam.

Zeide

 

[DFrey]

Hi Zeide,
Okay since I've always been a bit of a science fiction buff, I'm going with the "bioscientist' "seed from live oyster story". I like it better than the spray painted bead explanation. and I'm liking these smilies today.

Doug

 

[jshepherd]

It really is a comical description. But without a single smiley face or a single "LOL" one has to assume they are being serious!
They should know that there is a difference between 'romanticizing' something and completely making something up!

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Jeremy,

What I object to most of all is that their description is suggestive of the Seid-Guseinov process. However, what they show looks not even up to par with Pearlfection or Majorica's "organic" line. Overall, I think these companies are worse than eBay as far as product descriptions go.

Zeide

 

[DFrey]

Hi Zeide,
I think the real issue for me is that imitation pearls that are "manmade" be clearly identified as not being real cultured or natural pearls for the buying public. After that I guess its up to the individual buyer to chose, but with the incredible production of pearls world wide I don't understand why you would chose imitation pearls.

Doug

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Doug,

I understand that standard and lump akoyas into the imitation category, too, considering their thin nacre and excessive processing. Round Tahitians are not that far away from the cut-off point for fakes anymore either and the golden and white South Sea pearls should also get some serious scrutiny as far as nacre thickness and enhancements go. As far as I am concerned, only keshis and other tissue-only activated cultured pearls may apply.

Zeide