Ebay HOF - Z-Gems

[sprague11]

Anyone know if these guys are still around? They were always good for a laugh back in the days.

For those who weren;t on Ebay back in 2001-2003, Z-Gems was one of those rare hobby pieces of work. They were notable for:

Stealing scans off Beckett and listing the items as their own

10 Dollar Shipping - when they actually decided to honour purchases
Stealing Scans off the old board and using it for their own items
Picturing PSA 10's when if fact they were selling PSA 7's
Shilling their own items with numerous shill accounts in order to bump their feedback
Rude retaliatory negative feedback when buyers would legit complain about not getting their items
Fake Michael Jordan RC's

Now that I think of it, what ever happened to Crazy Canuck or whomever that was based out of Fredericton? He'd buy EVERYTHING - Jerseys, patches, cuts, etc. then 3 months later he'd sell it on ebay and maybe make back 50% of his money.

 

[The Great Zo]

Remember. If it's not Z-Gems, it's crap!

 

[quincy]

And speaking of scams, anyone remember Avanens69?

 

[allstarcollectors]

One of my first big purchases was from Crazy Canuck. I thought I read on the boards last year sometime that the owner was in BC, and was in the newspaper for something untoward. I think it involved selling on eBay but my memory fails me. Anybody have better details?

 

[cards-gotta-go]

And speaking of scams, anyone remember Avanens69?

Yes, yes I do remember.

 

[dahabsfan]

Z-Gems is still around under a new ID (be damned if I can remember what it is though). I stumbled across their auctions not too long ago. As for Avanens69, wonder if the authorities ever caught up with him south of the border.

D

 

[sprague11]

Anyone care to write up a bit on Mister Venens? I vaguely remember him...

 

[dahabsfan]

Short version on Avanens69 - sold approximately $130,000 worth of high end singles that he didn't own. Used stolen pics and sent out empty Expresspost envelopes and then vanished with big $. Last I had heard was authorities were trying to track him down in the US.

D

 

[TanguayFan]

Short version on Avanens69 - sold approximately $130,000 worth of high end singles that he didn't own. Used stolen pics and sent out empty Expresspost envelopes and then vanished with big $. Last I had heard was authorities were trying to track him down in the US.

D

I was one of the suckers he scammed. The first and only time I have been taken on eBay.

 

[quincy]

Tiny scans (stolen) and no trackable details on nothing. All the hot singles.

Successful scam.

 

[sprague11]

ahhhh I remember him now

 

[brisco10]

Who was the guy on the Beckett boards that ended up murdered somewhere in Utah if I recall correctly?


Thanks
Ken

 

[Iceman]

I think that was the dude who posted pictures of full frontal male nudity on Beckett.

 

[sprague11]

Yeah, he ripped off a few people on the old boards then wound up dead. His family was into all sorts of shady dealings as I recall. Can't remember the name for the life of me.

 

[Iceman]

I think it was Daystar wasn't it?

 

[pathshot]

I remember the z-gems guy. Also, I got scammed just as bad by someone name "upperdeckauthentic", IIRC. They both seemed to have the same foul attitude, and I wondered if it was the same seller.

-m.

 

[sprague11]

Daystar was the same guy who got everyones Paypal accounts locked back in the day. Quite the scammer - lottery fraud, FBI charges for memorabilia fraud, etc.

 

[Triple B]

And speaking of scams, anyone remember Avanens69?

I would stuff him with his own dismembered left arm if I ever found him. Am I bitter?

 

[sprague11]

One of my first big purchases was from Crazy Canuck. I thought I read on the boards last year sometime that the owner was in BC, and was in the newspaper for something untoward. I think it involved selling on eBay but my memory fails me. Anybody have better details?

He's westcoastauthentic.com and moved to BC after many lawsuits involving his Crazy Canuck account on eBay.