Vendor accused of trying to sell fake, phony autographs

A grand slam gathering of the world`s top sports memorabilia dealers, collectors and fans returned to the I-X Center for the 39th Annual National Sports Collectors Convention.The much anticipated event, which hasn`t come to Cleveland in four years, kicked off Wednesday and runs through Sunday, with countless, priceless autographed items on display and on sale, as well as over 140 current sports stars signing autographs.

[@espphirephoto]

Speaking of phonies, here's Steve Grad...

[@derrickforeal]

Steve is the king of scammers. Lol. The irony.

[@derrickforeal]

@Robbie N he knowingly authenticated frauds

[@jordanconnor1223]

He approved 1 fake thing .... he's human

[@addamz3277]

@@derrickforeal u people are ridiculous! So being a keyboard Rambo and learn the facts before spreading more lies

[@afrogamerdudecomebacktoyou6890]

autograph authenticators are just as scammy as fake signers. JSA PSA Becket ruin sigs by putting their stupid stickers on them.

[@TheRealBGregz]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@wartem]

That's so amazingly funny.. they interviewed a scammer themselves

[@PaulieAFantoneJays19]

If you have an issue w/ what Steve did...then don't google the name Mike Baker & how he f**ked up the good name of GAI...Baker crippled the hobby way worse than Steve did by a 10 football fields

[@jasonsmith2439]

I’m 💀the nerve of this scum bag 😂

[@tewksburydriver8624]

ran into a low life at a show trying to sell me a 2000 Brady Playoff contenders ungraded for $2500. I've been a collector for a very long time so I played along knowing it was fake. I asked him why he wouldn't slab such a high end card and quadruple its value, and he said that "grading fees are too high". Classic line from someone selling fake stuff. Me and another guy in the know finally called him out and he panicked, took the card out of his case, packed up and left. Too good to be true, it is. Educate yourself, jerks and scam artists are everywhere.

[@fuhq1837]

tewksbury driver thank you for your service. Trolls like him just like to be heard.

[@josecarranza7555]

tewksbury driver Did you sell any frauds?

[@tewksburydriver8624]

Jose Carranza ... no, I’m not a card dealer, not to mention I’m honest. Why?

[@josecarranza7555]

tewksbury driver I thought you said dealer, my bad.

[@ProfessorWillow]

Lol Brady card and grading fees are too high

[@SuperPlayz]

I thought Steve was one getting arrested

[@sebastiangomez219]

Same

[@jasonsmith2439]

🤣🤣

[@Beck-Stein]

I thought Steve wasn’t authentic himself.

[@12centcomicsandcards]

Steve grad passed so many fakes geez

[@rockin4740]

isnt that the dude who authenticated fake stuff on pawn stars saying its real

[@kenkobra6332]

I think it is

[@flogrown2014]

Yes it is.

[@jenniferjuniper9460]

What did he authenticate that was bogus on pawn stars?

[@tubemaniac206]

he looks like a sleezeball. talks like one. PSA lost lot of cred for having this guy on their team.

[@gregtaylor113]

He's been around a long time with his bullshit. Snake

[@dougjones9140]

Steve Grad!! The dude was nailed for fraud LOL

[@airplanelife9839]

Imagine asking the scammer about scams

[@jordanconnor1223]

You mean imagine copy and pasting fake news you read online Brainiac.

[@octavioleon7717]

Steve Grad... Can’t believe how this fake is still in the memorabilia industry. He (best of yesterday of Orland Park Illinois and his buddy Bill Mastro of Palos Park Illinois. What I JOKE !!

[@buffalobraves9]

The irony that one of the worst frauds in the industry is calling somebody else a fraud.

[@jordanconnor1223]

He approved 1 fake thing that was likely on accident......

[@jasonsmith2439]

@@jordanconnor1223naw bro he’s been a con artist for years

[@LukeL007]

I recall watching a news segment where a forger showed how quickly he could copy a signature. Of course he spent hundreds of hours honing his trade.

[@Billionaireben]

I doubt it would pass authentication, they're very stringent.

[@1958fury]

Look into the FBI Operation Bullpen. PSA passed a TON of ad stuff ​@@Billionaireben

[@SenorZorrozzz]

It’s easy for a guy who has a certification business to tell you to have everything certified. But you just can’t. The nature of getting autographs is that a lot of these people are dashing to airplane or the walking on the street. And it’s not always possible to even take the picture with the phone. Plus there are photographs that many of us have collected over a period of say 40 years where there was an authentication service and there wasn’t any cell phones that could take pictures so we don’t have that we just have the photos and the autographs or the scraps of paper and autographs.

[@EGarrett01]

Yeah, but at the same time, those are for you. Those people aren't signing that stuff for you to go sell it to try to make a quick buck.

[@rickkanski4505]

I guess if you have a magnifier,your an expert

[@weebgrinder-AIArtistPro]

Lol yeah a tablet with a slightly better than stock lense on it

[@TheRealBGregz]

Good, the scammer’s gone. Now Steve Grad doesn’t have any competition!

[@vsrvideo8676]

This Steve guy pulls out his ipad and looks through it to see if its real. How the fuck can anyone tell if its 100% real unless you were there when it got signed. Authenticating Signitures is just wasting your money. You're paying for an opinion of some random guy. Authenticating is usually done in todays age so its easier to sell, but they buyer should do their own research and not just go by what Beckett, JSA or any other Authentication company says regarding the signature. I've known story's of these company's calling items a fake when the guy trying to authenticate his items were signatures obtained himself in person

[@SmallPaul.]

Scammers have inveltrated everything like

[@PhynTrickSnipin]

There all are kinds of " CROOKS " at these shows.... I sued a guy i bought a Super bowl ring from. It took me years to get my money back. He still shows up every year and sets up a table.... When i look at what he has set up... more than half are fake rings..It's a joke !!!

[@bobbaker7057]

John Mildner pawn stars was proven to be fake sales

[@Africanfrogs]

John Mildner yea sports memorabilia is sketch. I never buy anything anymore unless it’s already authenticated. 90% of stuff on eBay is fake as can be but people buy it up like it’s a steal. Crazy

[@postersandstuff]

@@Africanfrogs You can get some amazing deals on ebay , real stuff......but you have to do your homework : research , research and more research

[@pauld8790]

@@postersandstuff agree

[@postersandstuff]

Piece of the Past sold a replica L.A Dodgers ring for 3k the other day , a felony

[@jamesw4895]

I have a few autographs, but I got them myself and have pics of the people with me. I don't understand buying an autograph and you didn't get it yourself.

[@deanwheeler5969]

Anything signed by steve grad,, is rechecked in australia..by all serious collectors

[@Mr.paint123]

They should have arrested Steve

[@jasonsmith2439]

I bet he was sweating bullets when he heard the FBI was going to investigate someone at that show 😂

[@davidburris8230]

Why I don't buy autographs. Only collect them if I see them signed in person.

[@firebomb5510]

Anything before the 1990s that are signed cards from packs are worth keeping,just look at the p the internet

[@postersandstuff]

@@firebomb5510 Its kinda difficult to get Elvis or Mercury when theyre dead.......so obviously you have to buy them :P

[@johnniejay]

So what do you do about sports figires / celebrities who have been dead for decades?

[@F5_cena]

@@postersandstuff probably fake shit that steve signs in his basement

[@dominick624]

Steve Grad....The King Of Frauds.

[@sleepwalker29]

I only buy numbered autographed items. That can be authenticated.

[@JoeJohn777]

This convention is full of fakes !!! my friend sold many fakes to those dealers !

[@Nflguy4949]

Most sports autographs for sale are fake even from an otherwise legit company. If you or someone you trust didn't personally witness the item being signed then you can't trust it's legit.

[@antoniosaxon8605]

James Spence of JSA is the Ultimate Scammer

[@briangrace1402]

steve grad is so sketchy

[@vibes3360]

1:19 look at his face! Guy is a crook

[@user-qj8tv3qp4p]

Steve might not be a scammer but he’s definitely a huge low baller

[@TheMatthiasRiots]

#pimpinjoy hat what a D bag

[@comeonneiljustone]

Was it Michael Medlin? Aka redbull

[@phettumbling9863]

Shady Steve Fraud.

[@davec3901]

You got to do your own research and authentication.

[@onlygoodgamesofficial]

Never buy from the scammers sports memorabilia

[@matthewbingham8824]

Steve Grad has no point in speaking. The biggest sports memorabilia rackateering guru and they allow him at this show. Must have the hookups with Trump.

[@noelhuerta8309]

Steve is the top scammer

[@thegoldenfool]

Takes a scammer to know one lol

[@StratBurst92]

There are lots of fakes out there and not only in sports.

[@richardbosh4522]

is it easy to purchase authentication stickers ? and slap it on a fake autograph. and pass it as legit?

[@ccritser]

Anyone know who this scammer was ? Anyone heard of Rick nara from sports memory

[@jameshall5440]

Just as stupid as the people who stole all them Pokemon cards and tried to sell hundreds an hundreds of the rarest cards in that set at the worst place😂 u dont mess with real fans/collectors

[@mahler151]

Why even show clips of the guy you're interviewing if you're going immediately to cut away from him & repeat what he says? Terrible editing.

[@keve4253]

these "authenticators" have literally no proof to tell what is real or not, as he said they are just upset a person is selling cheaper autographs and hurting their own racket

[@DeE-pt5lz]

"make sure it is certified" "dragging down prices" yea like these "certified" and expensive autographs are 100% authentic, unless you are getting an autograph in person I would not spend a penny on anything because there is no actual way to tell if it is authentic or not, these "experts" can't possibly be 100% sure on everything they are certifying and yet they make it seem like they are

[@lionsfan8235]

There are companies that deal direct with athletes that can be trusted. Upper Deck, Panini, Steiner and maybe 1 or 2 more but i never buy stuff from JSA or PSA/DNA or even Beckett.

[@DeE-pt5lz]

you are correct, and I think those can be trusted, but still I am taking it with a grain of salt, but when these "experts" go around and determine wether some autograph someone has is real or not, that is complete bullshit

[@royalsfan4784]

Mullins3782x2 panini isn't trustworthy. They did nothing until it came to light that Dak prescott's autos were autopenned

[@flogrown2014]

LionsFan82 never buy from Jsa or psa? You do realize they offer witness authenticity. Steiner was hit hard by scams as well in the past. It’s a matter of doing your own research. 99% of steiners authentication is done with a card and a hologram. They didn’t even do authentication numbering on their holograms up until recent years. Anyone who wanted to fake a Steiner could. That being said yes, Jsa, psa, and Beckett are an “opinion” unless witnessed by their staff at shows and private signings. So if you want a babe Ruth or many other deceased athletes and celebrities you have to do your research and trust in an authenticator.

[@DeE-pt5lz]

it is pointless to buy a autograph in general, the whole point of an autograph is your little brief moment with whatever celebrity you are seeing and you have a little keepsake from that moment, who gives a shit if Steph Curry is spending 1/2 a second to scribble his initials on a basketball you are spending $500 for, things like Steiner Sports and all these other scummy autograph for profit places have killed whatever meaning getting an autograph meant

[@HealthHorror]

Buying autographs is friggin stupid anyway! Why do people want a pen stroke from a stranger they never met?

[@lucymiles2559]

Stfu bum you just broke lol people love autographs because it’s something from their favorite movie, sports, tv show they can get from their favorite star. Sign anything you sign your life away ahahhahaja

[@lucymiles2559]

I got one from Michael Jordan he the goat not lebum

[@lucymiles2559]

Awww you jealous

[@contestwinner5488]

Never buy autographs, get them yourself

[@pearspeedruns]

Good idea, where can I find Babe Ruth nowadays?

[@Pikachuman18]

If you want an Autograph that isn't screened on and screened on pictures from knockoffs, then you can buy a real autograph from the store or you can get an Autograph from either a Famous Person or Athlete.

[@samslittlefarm9425]

I look into this case all charges on him was dropped in court he won his case in courts so shame on the conversation I bet they feel real dumb by now.

[@DemonChildCC]

No bigger crooks than the dealers who sell the cards.. it's gone from affordable to every box being sold for over 100 bucks each which is a crock of shit..

[@hattorihanzo2275]

Do you expect the boxes to be sold at cost which is actually a loss for dealers. Manufacturers set the minimum and the market dictates the rest. I'm not a fan that it's become a hobby almost exclusively to the wealthy but that's the way it is. What do you propose to improve things?

[@b-man1232]

Snake!!!

[@worldstar9741]

if its not psa or beckett authenticated in the clear acrylic cases I don't buy them.even the 8 x 10 photos,bats,etc,can be faked with a psa certificate.they just print the psa certificate right off the computer.this rang true on a pawn stars episode as well.a fake psa certificate.

[@chadchad1983]

People fake the psa and Beckett cases toooo

[@postersandstuff]

@@chadchad1983 ....and CoAs in most cases means nothing , judge the items first , not the certificate

[@Robert-nu4vc]

PSA has graded fake cards and have given high number grades to altered cards!!! Haha!!! If you trust them you are a fool. Beckett and the rest of them are all scammers, too. Your slabs are worthless to a lot of people. I won't touch a slabbed card ever.

[@JoeJohn777]

even PSA & BGS dont know anything about autographs! i have a friend who make fakes and they get graded authentics by those company LOL

[@subzero8679]

Your friend should be in prison. What's his name?

[@jdunse18]

@@subzero8679 what Sub said

[@Robert-nu4vc]

Your friend is a felon then. I think he FBI would love to hear your story. I'll send them your way.

[@JoeJohn777]

@@Robert-nu4vc lol they dont care ebay, PSA etc are full of fakes

[@JoeJohn777]

even Panini or Upper Deck sells fake! my friend already sold some fakes to those company

[@josecarranza7555]

Joe John How did he do it?

[@JoeJohn777]

@@josecarranza7555 Think !!!!

[@josecarranza7555]

Joe John I’m in the wrong business. I’m good with handwriting, maybe I can pull it off. Just wondering what did your friend do?

[@Robert-nu4vc]

Your "friend" is about to go to prison for 20 years.

[@JoeJohn777]

@@Robert-nu4vc lol no because he did that to rpoive that these guys at grading dont know nothing about their job lol He sold so many fakes !!!

[@susanhutchinson6023]

Grad is a fraud himself

[@jasonsmith2439]

I give you 20 to life and not a penny more! I mean someone has to do a little time hear Steve. Next stop Ricks gold and silver ripoff shop😂

[@JoeCracco]

If it’s not PSA or JSA you’re gambling, and do your own homework on top of that.

[@Robert-nu4vc]

PSA has graded fake cards and given high grades to altered cards. They are scammers themselves. A guy sent a nearly immaculate 1955 Sandy Koufax rookie to PSA and it came back a 2, so he took it out of the slab and sent it in again, and it came back a 7! Haha! Talk about inconsistent. Many others have had the same thing happen. Anyone who sends their cards to PSA is a moron. All of the grading companies are garbage. They are not experts. They hire people off the street and let them grade valuable cards and it shows.

[@Robert-nu4vc]

So you obviously haven't done your homework at all.

[@mattmccue1708]

buy cards that r signed those can’t be fake

[@BastoosBR]

why the fuck is this on my recommended videos?

[@MAR-zx5wn]

A bunch of self proclaimed “experts” offered their third party “opinion” of some guy’s signatures… what crime was committed?

[@Guillhrme]

Can anyone tell me if TRISTAR is reliable and legitimate?

[@Robert-nu4vc]

No. None of them are reliable.

[@samuelakilakalua3134]

😂😅😢

[@chickenfkeryay]

Tristar is who used to be tom brady exclusive memorabilia retailer before fanatics signed him