Ripped Off by a Hoser on WhatNot: My Worst Purchase of 2024

Here is a little story about my terrible experience buying a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #238. The seller claimed that it was "like new old stock," but it was restored and had a color touch. I could not get WhatNot or PayPal to help, but I learned a lesson.

[@TheWeebLounge]

100% in the same boat. Got the press he recommended, garbage. Got a stack of 7 comics, "New old stock 9.8 contenders"....and all had severe water damage on the back. A set of the Magic mini-series too, good condition, "I value this at $75".....went right in the trash when I got it. Horrible condition, and when out of the bag & board found parts of the covers ripped off. Horribly overpriced, and sad seeing so many people pay double for the same book they can get slabbed already on Ebay. When I contacted him about it, his ego got in the way, and basically tried to turn the blame on me. Was going to go off on the guy, but instead messaged him back saying, "Know what, I had a long reply made, but not worth it." Thankfully I didn't buy any huge books and my lesson was cheaper than yours, and did manage to get a few decent deals out of him, but he should check his ultra ego instinct at the door.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@TheWeebLounge thanks for sharing. I really appreciate it. I’m certain that we aren’t the only ones. He probably got your bad review taken down also like mine.

[@nickchoma1772]

$800 for a raw book on whatnot is absolute insanity. I’m sorry you got taken advantage of, but, no way I’m spending $800 on a book I can’t see/touch/get hi-res pics of..

[@NinjaWavelength]

Thanks for sharing bro. What a crappy situation. Sounds like you learned a lot and the info is appreciated

[@WayneSmith-g7l]

Thank you for the warning about Comic Cave. Sorry you went thru that.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@WayneSmith-g7l thanks!

[@markplanger9080]

Good old Comic Cave. What a tool he is. Makes the rest of us Canadians look bad.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

Most definitely, Mark! Most of the Canadians that I have met are super cool.

[@noyanhilmi1361]

I knew who you were talking about by the description. He’s a fast talker for sure… sorry this happened to you.

[@nickchoma1772]

Dude sucks when it comes to accuracy of grading. Not even close

[@MrOldboy360]

Getting scammed is the most educational thing that can happen to anyone.

[@leighwestfall1578]

Whatnot is probably the worst place to buy vintage comics

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

Truth 100%

[@CHAMPDOGZ]

I've never had an issue & I've bought alot of high-end vintage comics from multiple sellers

[@reeftheseaforever]

@@CHAMPDOGZ if your a seasoned collector what not is great not great for new collectors

[@CHAMPDOGZ]

@@reeftheseaforever there are cheap things to buy to start collecting, but as with anything expensive you plan to buy look around for the best price, make sure its what you want, and decide if you'll be happy with the purchase i mean this guy isnt a young kid bro come on

[@craixe1]

Couldn’t be more wrong.

[@weasellyone2]

I deleted Whatnot, almost every book I've purchased was way over-graded. I'll stick to eBay or LCS going forward. A few bad apples spoil the entire thing.

[@DukeCityExplorer]

The Strange Brew/Canadian reference... "Hoser, eh!" Makes me wanna go eat some back bacon and chug a few beers, eh!

[@ezscomicbookcollecting6244]

Another reason I don’t like using WhatNot

[@darrelldent9083]

You gotta be careful, if I'm spending more than $200, it has to be in person and checking it out of the bag...no slabs. I go to a lot of conventions though.

[@mattcarper9853]

WhatNot, like CGC and the slabs at all costs crowds, are absolute cancer.

[@voltorb7953]

I always look at my books under black light when I get them and open the cover. Usually color touches are amateur and bleed through to the first page. You also have to make sure with that book that the tattoos are in it if you want to grade it.

[@spaceknight793]

On a side note... when I bought my copy when it came out (from Heroes World, not a newsstand), there was no tattoo in it. I felt cheated then. Imagine how I felt when the prices went up...

[@WayneSmith-g7l]

There are no end of comic dealers who will screw you over, that is what the hobby has become

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@WayneSmith-g7l Thanks, I appreciate your comment. Unfortunately, the world pretty much runs on greed…

[@dannbon13]

I'm on whatnot. I have key collector, ebay, gocollect open during auctions. I stayed away from the comments on purpose because I figured someone would have guessed the seller. I guessed within the first 5 mins of your vid. I also keep my buying circles small and tight on that site, strictly due to getting ripped off one time.

[@RobertWeir]

it took you that long?? lol

[@brandyfernandocuenca7846]

What's the seller's name

[@bamnguyen7903]

Is there any love for comics anymore or did dumbass influencers and crooks ruin the hobby for everyone? Wonder if anyone actually reads them anymore. I have a few thousand comic books from the 70/80/90’s and I have read every one of them. All these dudes w Slabs, Presses, and calling them ‘Books’ now is kind of sad. It’s about the love of the story and art not the money.

[@TempleoftheDarkPartsoftheMind]

Sorry you had a bad experience with that seller. It sucks but it can happen even on eBay. So far my experience on WhatNot has been OK with some deals and others that I got caught up in bidding to much but nothing crazy. Luckily when it comes to really expensive books I tend to explore all my options before buying. The more money that gets thrown around in this hobby always brings out the worst in people. Thanks for the heads up on that WhatNot hoser.

[@delonanderson7701]

Alot of the people on whatnot are not comic book collector it became a money grabbed scheme when COVID-19 hit. Sorry for the lost

[@sodacan1415]

Whatnot is pretty good if you spend some time feeling out which sellers are reputable. As a collector of golden age comics I haven't had any issues, however when buying, let's say, "cheap" bronze age books you really have to take into consideration shipping + fees when buying a $15 book that hasn't been properly displayed or photographed as it would have been on ebay. That $15 + fees book on whatnot that looked like an 8.0 might arrive and actually be a 6.0 worth far less. I also find that auctions on ebay, and particularly hipcomic, are the best for securing deals on these sorts of books.

[@Rancoroth419]

WhatNot has a 71 hour shipping limit. Unfortunately, after 1000 sales, you get paid upfront, rather than waiting for something to ship and be delivered, to get paid. Some sellers can become absent minded.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@Rancoroth419 Interesting…. I didn’t know this. Thanks for sharing!

[@CHAMPDOGZ]

Yeah but Whatnot's cancel & return policies are top notch

[@mistere.thelowgradeking5514]

I never go on Whatnot and I have had problems from Canadian sellers. I think twice I had to get a refund from eBay because of issues from those sellers.

[@reeftheseaforever]

it sucks for alot of collectors buying a raw asm 238 is like playing with a M80 illegal fireworks ... your one of many collectors that have been burned by the infamous asm 238

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@reeftheseaforever Very funny, thanks!

[@gorgeousgeorge5173]

Is this 'the Caveman'? Whole family involved operation? I actually gave him his name during one of his first shows. But the stuff I bought, not just from him but many other WN shows, were always over-graded. I deleted the app 2 years ago and have ben happily dealing with my LCS - We Have Issues - in Edmonton since.

[@markplanger9080]

We Have Issues is a great spot!

[@sixtogarcia9130]

I'll never buy from What Not. They overprice and are just trying to sell their overstock

[@IndieComicsandReviews]

I have never bought anything on Whatnot and don't think I ever will based on what I've heard. There really is no advantage for the buyer only the seller. Sorry this happened to you.

[@CHAMPDOGZ]

Idk your story sounds a bit strange from the beginning you said you spent thousands on the first show then saved up for a big Spiderman book on the next sale then especially considering Whatnot has the best Cancellation/ Refund policies.. really sounds like you guys both were getting after each other.. like everything for sale a seller on any platform can put any price they want, its up to the buyer to evaluate the price on condition sellers will show you the whole book if you ask to see it & everybody selling comics goes by price guides.. i had an issue where i wasnt happy with a Hulk #181 once just because i wanted one a bit nicer Whatnot asked if i wanted a 70% refund and keep the book or return the book at full value so i think you guys are just going after each other imo

[@InfamyOrDeath-__-]

Did you listen to the video? First he didn’t ship it for ages, then when he got the book he sent it to get pressed, the presser contacted him to tell him the book had been restored and wasn’t worth anywhere near the claim of the seller. The vast majority of people who buy a comic aren’t going to be able to know a book has been restored. Then the reason why he couldn’t get a refund was because it had gone past the refund deadline, which was caused by the late shipment, sending it to the press, and then to CGC. This is 100% the fault of the seller, he sold a book for a high price and it wasn’t what he advertised.

[@toys2cool]

they use to have a good refund policy..its now changed..now if you've returned more than 3 or 4 times they decline to help you

[@beckythompson4538]

I joined whatnot two years ago and it felt like an eBay killer. Now they are offering $500 to get new sellers. It’s still a fun site but the format seems to attract desperate sellers and con artists.

[@Rancoroth419]

Literally, whatNot has a thing you can default setting, No refunds. Most sellers will stonewall you on that, because if you've sold on ebay, returns, weather you had no returns or not, if the customer does a switcheroo on you, and files a return, your only discourse as a seller, is to counterclaim with evidence. Take pictures of high dollar items prior to shipping and note condition. Scammers are everywhere.

[@commodorerook3797]

I don't buy from Canada dealers, the shipping is insane.

[@Rancoroth419]

Ebay only covers you for 30 days. That's why presale items on ebay are dangerous.

[@jaytarh]

1) Nationality has nothing to do with it. Scammers are everywhere. 2) Buying raw comics online is always a giant risk. The more valuable the book, the bigger the risk. 3) Do research on sellers before buying from them. Build trust with a seller before making big purchases with them. 4) Watching five minutes of that seller’s WhatNot it is obvious that he is completely full of it.

[@InfamyOrDeath-__-]

The comics community is full of scammers, you have to be extremely careful, especially buying high value comics.

[@Kaloo1968]

Have you every heard of the Angry Girlfriend Amazing Spider-Man comic book? Maybe turn this one into something about the Hoser. Just kidding. Sorry to hear you got scammed, and the warning to steer clear of Comic Cave.

[@Joshua-l7g]

I normally just go through my boys in Texas

[@studiodriver399]

I have stopped watching and buying on whatnot! I have only found one or two dealers I would recommend (luckily one of the dealers lives near me and I now go to his store). Whatnot doesn’t care about the buyer only the dealers!

[@Comiccollector34744]

Sounds like comic cave guy caveman I seen him on whatnot saying old stock and how many books he has.

[@BrianLCS]

Sorry this happened. Lot's of FOMO on WhatNot, and over priced books.

[@dm0065]

Neither here nor there, but Im old, and I bought that book off a spinner rack in 83. There were several copies there too. Wish I'd had a crystal ball and grabbed the stack.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@dm0065 I was nine when that book came out, but I was chasing baseball cards at the time.

[@leecooper3852]

Start low temp and slowly move up till you get the result you want

[@leecooper3852]

By accusing you of the marriage issue.He's looking for excuses.He's throwing anything at you to justify his position.Which suggests that he's in the wrong and he knows it. Personally, I would take a trip up to Canada and to see personally.And I wouldn't come back without my money... I don't care how much the trip costs. he wouldn't be getting away with it.

[@Mikey_Gee]

At least the book does actually look nice in a purple label. If it was a 9.8 purple label I’d keep it

[@spinetickspressing]

Bro, who's books are telling you to press at 180 or 220 degrees? Modern books should be at MAX 150.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@spinetickspressing I probably got that wrong… haven’t looked at using a press in quite a while. I just now the one I have is way too hot!

[@karaokeapocalypse2184]

I've gotten some amazing deals on whatnot. I do agree that people spend way too much on garbage books. I don't know if they get caught up in the bidding or if they're new to comics or what the reasons are. I look up every book I bid on. If an auction is moving too fast for me to do that... I don't buy. I do have a physical list for quicker reference on titles that I actively pursue. My goal is to pay 25% of fair market value. If I think it has some real value then I'll go as high as half value. Sticking to that keeps me from over spending on major keys that honestly, I don't really have to have. They'll come around again. I don't buy from claim sales. I don't buy from people that set their prices. One or 2 dollar starts and your audience determines the value with their bids. Whatnot has its ups and downs. Bid responsibly. Educate yourselves on a books value. Know that nothing is rare. It all comes around again. Set your price points on what you wanna pay for an item and stick to it. I've been collecting for almost a decade. My collection is massive. I've made all the rookie mistakes. I've donated thousands of books to causes, friends, kids. Never sold a single book.

[@Capitolcitytlc]

Whatnot seller always scamming people. Only horror stories

[@Steampunk_Star_Raisin]

I'm sorry that happened to you. That's why I prefer to buy comics in person at shows...

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@Steampunk_Star_Raisin thanks! I haven’t been to a good comic show yet, but I’d like to soon.

[@bronze_age_barbarian]

I highly recommend heroes con in charlotte, NC if you want to travel. Premiere show for artist, writers and talent in general on the eastern seaboard. Crazy enormous hall with a sea of vendors. Can’t see it all even with 3 days. Insanely good

[@jcrump2424]

Cave Man comics?

[@roberterwine7650]

its not even worth $100 . new collectors should really do their homework before buying . go to a few shows first

[@lostcanyon777]

Yeah, I don't know why he is claiming it is a 1k book. Nope... not even half that. A 9.6 slabbed is maybe $500, a 8.0 slabbed is maybe $250 (blue label)

[@Caseshells123]

If you used a credit card do a charge back

[@2002warlord]

Sorry to hear about that book that sucks. What not definitely has its ups and downs

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

Thanks, Warlord!

[@brandyfernandocuenca7846]

Somebody put him out there

[@DesslockTX]

What an awful story! Fobbing off a restored ASM 238 on your live show is unacceptable. Live and learn. I hope you can move on. Collecting comics is fun. Just remember it’s a buyers market, and living in America we have lots of choices. FYI I bought a Fancierstudio clam-shell press off eBay and it’s been terrific. (on the recommendation of KaptainMyke)

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@DesslockTX thanks! I might get one of those this summer.

[@joeday17821]

WhatNot is Thunderdome...I would never buy on there

[@RobertWeir]

Instant dislike when i saw his stream ..huckster to the Nth degree .. i would never buy a book from him ... but hey look into color touch removal .. maybe you can salvage a blue label . I think CCS does it at CGC ..

[@Rancoroth419]

That particular book has different grades, that valuates it, Most, when you grade it, will be green label, missing or incomplete, without the Tatoo inserts. Without the tatoos, this book is very much less value.

[@josephgregorio8479]

Well,to all you comic book needs out there, this insane buying frenzy. On these books, are making these comic dealers rich, $$$$ this started years ago, that people are buying these books for investment , not the joy of collecting, I myself find this morally disgusting, that this hobby is close to buying stocks, in the stock market, all you needs our there ,you have been bred,fed,and led,like sheep, 😅 and excuse me for insulting sheep, you have sold out your brains. But who needs brains if you have Google,nuff said till next issue. Read a real book, and get off your phones, and also get a real life.welcome to 2025 the new normal of the brainless.

[@josephgregorio8479]

Oh yes my dumb ass phone put in needs it was suppose to ,be ( NERDS) not needs

[@Caseshells123]

Contact Whatnot and get your money back, why are you being a simp and just accepting this scam

[@DerekPugh-uj4yd]

unfortunately, the code of the 'comic book nerd' is being exploited by the flippers and investors. hope you have better experiences in the future...and take care, eh! 🤞

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@DerekPugh-uj4yd thanks, eh!

[@toys2cool]

one of the many reasons i quit whatnot...i cant stand that shit now..their retirn policies have changed for the worse and its exactly as you say..just people selling junk they cant sell on ebay or shows

[@SamuraiKidMusic]

With stories like this, I’m only sticking with 20$ books tops off eBay or books in the wild. Thanks for posting this.

[@wishihadfreedom6566]

Yeah Comic Cave is shoddy. Real sketchy... its a garage on the side of a hwy.

[@edwardwells2325]

Informative. Thanks!

[@fidelityheartcult4088]

I once heard him say Punisher War Journal #1 was a $100 book raw and somebody paid $100 raw for it!

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@fidelityheartcult4088 oof! Preying on the noobs is his specialty.

[@saw435]

😮

[@actionman38]

Hi. ‘Not a downer video, my friend. You’re giving good facts, factual information. ‘Good video!

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@actionman38 thanks, I appreciate the positive feedback.

[@KendallKiddComix]

Sorry dude, a bummer situation

[@IncredibleHolcomb]

Wtf does the nation of origin have to do with one guy lying to another guy

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@IncredibleHolcomb honestly, I didn’t want to name the person specifically, but saying where he is from has made it easy for people to figure out exactly who the seller is. Strange Brew was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, and it’s fun to use the word “hoser.”

[@capncrunch2573]

​@beaudiniscardsandcomics Take off, eh! 😉

[@seekeroftruth1970]

Happened to come across this video. This is one of the most pathetic stories I have ever heard. First of all, why are you buying from some international seller when there are so many great dealers on Facebook and KZbin here in the states? Your whining was sad. You seem like a knowledgeable buyer and you not only got yourself caught on this situation, but you kept trolling the guy endlessly afterwards. Jesus, fix yourself. Go find some of the many reputable dealers out there instead of hounding some Canadian dealer and every pay service like PayPal.

[@joeyxsolo]

This guy gets on a video to share where he got ripped off and offers a warning to other buyers who may not be as knowledgeable, to be careful and you call his story, “pathetic”? I for one, thank this guy for sharing his story so I don’t buy from that seller on whatnot. Lots of cautions here for newer buyers to be on the look out for. Thanks for the video, buddy.

[@beaudiniscardsandcomics]

@@joeyxsolo thanks for the feedback. I put more effort into this video than any of my others.

[@jEdi_bUddhiC_YOGi]

You're definitely a whatnot seller 😂 This was a very informative video. The azz-wipe who robbed him is the only thing pathetic.

[@gregmarshall2513]

You sound like a narcissist.

[@sodacan1415]

what a stupidly absurd comment. he can't buy from international sellers? is that a violation of the constitution or something? the consumer will always look to buy what they can at the lowest price possible, regardless of nationality.

[@AndrewLord-i3v]

This issue is the same across all whatnot. Not sure why you feel the need to single out the fact that it's a Canadian. I've bought far more trash books from US whatnot dealers than Canadian.

[@hannahvickery4683]

ironic to complain about one form of restoration while bragging about pressing comics to get higher grades. also stop buying comics from random people on whatnot.

[@jbhatts610]

People time and again show scam after scam from whatnot (rattle alone probably made 50+ videos). Guess now it’s happened to this person, 🤷‍♂️. Plenty of safe, trustworthy places to purchase. Whatnot and Facebook are not that

[@NYToyLegend21]

That’s what you get for bullying from Canada!

[@NYToyLegend21]

🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻