Over the years we have been more than happy to bring the serious collectors in our community news and information regarding on-going scams from Ebay sellers on fake G1 Transformers, fake Lucky Draw Transformers, and so much more. It’s with a bit of a sad heart that we now bring up a growing scam on Ebay that serves only to hurt the collector community – fake AFA graded Transformers.
In a recent discussion thread on our forums, a member saw a G1 Transformer figure AFA graded for sale on Ebay. He thought that was pretty cool – until he noticed that the AFA grading ID number was the same as his sealed AFA graded figure! Further investigation showed that this toy had been fakely AFA graded by a known scam artist on Ebay, and had been in circulation (and in 3 seperate collector’s hands) for a couple of years now. Thanks to the power of the Internet, the seller of this item and the collector he purchased it from were able to communicate with our members and the discovery that the original seller of this item is a known AFA scam artist on Ebay.
What’s so important about this?
For starters, AFA graded items, especially Generation 1 Transformers, can go for THOUSANDS of U.S. dollars. So while some people can be scammed out of $30.00 USD for a Rumble/Frenzy & Ratbat two-pack, others are being scammed $2,000.00 USD for what they believe is an AFA graded G1 Transformer. It also brings to light a conversation that many have been having for years – is AFA (Action Figure Authority) grading really that meaningful? You pay money to have the figure graded and even pay money to get a grading summary on an item.
And now AFA is being forged and faked by scammers.
For those of you who collect sealed items, including AFA sealed items, we recommend using caution, as you should always be doing when making any online purchases from individuals as opposed to online toy stores. If an item is AFA graded, you have a right as a buyer to either have the seller provide you an item grading history, or to get that information on your own. There is always more information, of course, at AFA’s website, ToyGrader.com. We also urge buyers to use our forums, especially our Transformers Toy Discussion and Transformers On Ebay forums, to get information from other users and to use the numerous threads of information on how to tell the difference between knock-off reproductions and legit items.
wolfe
Do you think graded sports cards and comics are rip offs too?
Sealed transformers with no windows have the box graded and then put in a case.
Windowed transformers have their box, figure (they look thru the window to see if the figure is broken, bad paint, etc), and window graded.
Its fine to not like what someone else is collecting but wow. No one is forcing you to spend the money to buy something you dont like.
Foster
This point actually piqued my curiosity. Are there any people out there that have lost AFA toys in a fire or tornado, or something, and have been reimbursed by insurance for the full AFA Graded market replacement value? I've never heard any stories to that effect.
Laser_Optimus
You know… while I don't like AFA (I have my reasons; one of them being that I don't think they're very consistent with the grades they give, but I digress)… this thread really isn't about whether or not we personally like AFA or not as a business or on principle or whatever other nonsense people are bringing up. It's about the fact that some of our fellow collectors are being potentially taken advantage of by these douche bags that are selling fake AFA graded toys. And, again, while I don't like AFA at all, I think it's just wrong for some people to bash them and the people whom collect AFA graded items as a whole. Sure, I have my issues with AFA as to whether it's a legitimate service (I say no for a variety of reasons), but I have to say that there are apparently enough collectors out there that do use their service (or are willing to pay big bucks for high graded items so they don't have to go through the hassle of getting something graded themselves) to keep them in business. That says to me that enough people consider them reliable or at least the best option they have and if they choose to spend that kind of money on their hobby than what right do any of us (regardless of what you feel about AFA) have to bash how they choose to collect?
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Malach Ra, this has degenerated from the actual issue into a bash AFA thread. I'll admit to making my feelings on the matter known in my first sentence, but I also addressed the fact that our fellow collectors are being taken advantage of by these fake graded toys… to which all I can say again is to make yourself aware of what you're purchasing and double checking with AFA about these items. Buyer be ware and all that.
Kickback
I understand that for some of the collecting community, especially the MISB/MOSC community or people like yourself Tony, this is not something "gasp, wow, new!" … but for a good majority of the general public, especially those new or returning to Transformers collecting, this is indeed news.
I've been around for over a decade now and while after discovering that it's happening I was not surprised, this is the first time I've ever seen it really publically discussed on our forums.
Don't see the harm in informing people new or returning to the collecting world about this.
Sidecutter
The thing about that is, the price difference between a truly minty copy of a G1 figure, and a sealed, packaged minty copy…are often very little. For the bigger name toys, yes, it can be the difference between $100 and $500, but for most of them, it doesn't really seem to work out that way. Just for example, I bought thAT sealed, absolutely beautiful Japanese Octane. For $80. At BotCon.
He's not sealed now.
[Wing_Saber-X]
^ Amen!
ninety
I recommend a dremel, works a treat!
Remember the conversation we had in my room at AA? The consensus between about eight of us was that I was nuts as I've done that. As Sidecutter said, for certain TF's I'll pay the premium to be the first to open them up, most notably a MISB G1 Megs. As my joint favourite TF I was happy to pay, then instantly lose the money by opening him, worth every penny to me.
On topic, I'm not the biggest fan of AFA'd TF's, but fully understand those that collect them. A mate's got a full set of both Combaticons, and Seacons, both are beautiful in their cases, they're excellent display pieces.
There's a hilarious amount of ill-informed opinion in here.
Easterling Capt
Side,
I fully understand that and respect that but I think ppl like you are few in numbers. To buy a expensiv piece just to get that fresh feeling. In my world that is a waste of money and ilogical when you can hunt a minty loose one down for a fraction of the cost.
But then again everyone to their own as the saying goes
Sidecutter
Well, maybe YOU don't. I sure as all hell do.
MISB japanese Octane, pristine box…opened and stickered.
MISB Landcross (the three 2-packs)…opened and stickered.
MISc Sky Garry…mmhmmm.
MISB Groundshaker (Japanese) and Countdown…yup, same fate.
MISB/MOSC Thunderclash, Spark, Clench, yellow Euro G1 Constructicons, European Powermasters, Euro Predator jets, etc, etc…you guessed it.
I am, in some cases, willing to pay that premium for a perfect, brand new figure, and then be the first one to ever open it. I can't be alone in that. And if I did get something AFA cased that I really wanted, you bet your bottom I'd smash that plexi to open it.
Paradigm-Shift Prime
Waiting for fake AFAs of fake G1 Transformers.
And I'm not a big AFA fan but I think some people here have dangerous logic by saying that they deserve to get KO'd. It's not the introduction of a competing grading service. It's the counterfeiting of the AFA grading service.
Easterling Capt
I fully agree grading new stuff is pointless because there are so many other sealers around the collector world tdoay. Collecting MISb during the 80s and such did not exsist..during the 80s we ( myself included) played with the toys, ripped the boxes and all upp, dident mather if it was TF, MOTU, SW, GIJOe and so on.
These days Sealed old toys are hot and expensiv. Especially certain lines like TF. Some company gets the idea, well ppl might want to preserve the toys and so on. If Im not misstaken gradin comics have been around ages before grading toys, this is the same thing. You dont buy a donald duck for $$$$$$$ and read it. You dont buy a MISB Wheeljack and sticker it up.
AFA is just a company doing a service, if they dident do it someone else would. The inflated prices are there because there is a demand for sealed graded pieces and many only exist in misb form with a few some as low as 1 in the world…what you expect they would cost…$50 ??
Metal Chaos
I agree completely. AFA seems pointless to me, you pay them a ton of money to SAY your toy is worth a lot, seems to me you're really just paying them to make up a price for your toy.
I wonder about these guys, this so called Authority on all things Collectible.
Who are they?
What are their resources?
How do they come up with their prices?
How the fruitandhamfilleddumpinbasket do you grade something that's misb? Do they remove it to see it's still in fine condition? Hell someone could have a perfectly fine mint condition G1 Metroplex box, minus the G1 Metroplex and send it in with a bag of dirt inside it. If they did it just right it would look factory sealed. If AFA opens it to make sure it's legit then it's no longer MISB.
I don't understand how they grade their products or why collectors trust them so blindly.
I tell you what AFA users, I'm gonna grade your toys for you, send them all to me and $100 cash and I will send them back with a label that says they are worth $100,000 a piece and a special edition certificate of authenticity for you to mount on your lite-brite so you can show it to all your friends, even in the dark. Your collections will be worth millions*
* Collection Prices not valid in
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas
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Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas
Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland
Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi
Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada
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North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma
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South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah
Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia or any non US Territories.
I'm glad AFA is getting ripped off, maybe this will be the end of them and their scam. I mean seriously, no matter how you look at them they are not legit, no insurance company or judge would take their "graded values" into consideration therefor they are not legal. They have no authority on anything, they charge you to make your collection look valuable and nothing more.
When it comes right down to it, the value is in the eye of the beholder.
mac&cheese
i myself believe that alot people says if its something we want cant afford, then its no good at all. but if we can afford it then yes its the best. thats what i see in some people or just plain jealousy.
as where i stand i love misb toys so i love the extra grading system to help keep the quality of the boxes. but i cant afford the grading. so i do without them. if i can afford them. i will have all of them graded for value and protection.
wildfly
Doesn't scalping involve restricting availabiltiy of something that is otherwise fairly common? Last i checked, high quality examples of MIB G1 toys were a rarity before anyone started having them packed in plastic boxes.
temptingtoys
THIS IS VERY OLD NEWS and has been going on or quite some time.
wolfe
There are plenty of loose figures and boxed figures that can be opened. I dont see why anyone needs to bash people for collecting AFA or MISB. Its no less a collection, its something that we love. I love lose figures, i love MISB figures, and i have one AFA but i would love to get another. I love having it in the cabinet in my collection. To hate and bash on collectors for collecting what they want is just plain idiotic.
Malach Ra
You have your fellow collectors to thank for the inflated costs and the so called greed, not AFA. And as I read it, most of you dont want you toys sealed in a plastic prison-right? Or is it the fact that most of you cant justify paying the high prices that an AFA toy commands? Or cant afford it? I get that a lot of people hate AFA for some reason or another, its just the reasons usually add up to bullshit claims that people have against AFA(see the quote above) that really have nothing to do with AFA at all, but more with the people selling the graded stuff. I dont see the point of sounding like a moron and bashing something when you have no proof to support your reasons. Want an AFA toy-buy one, cant afford one-adjust your priorities or leave it alone.
Kenucme
You have to look to the fanbase for giving them the authenticity it receives. And so they are now the standard of record.
Oh, I see where your argument is going. Following that logic, it must be AFA that is selling every single graded figure (excepting CSG of course). You are targeting the symptom, not the real problem of your argument.
Don't hate on AFA for having a service that enough people decided to use. Channel your discord with those that are just using the service to get a better price out of it.
mac&cheese
no