[meteorite-list] Re: Fwd: Re: Question for seller -- Item #2175659927

From: Steve Schoner <steve_schoner_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:25:42 2004
Message-ID: <20030521201402.12063.qmail_at_web12705.mail.yahoo.com>

To all,

This ebay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2175659927

It alarming to me, as it uses a letter from an
standing IMCA member to "authenticate" items that are
clearly, from the photos shown, NOT Canyon Diablo
meteorites. The seller even posts the authentication
letter in the auction picture pages.

This is a first as far as I can tell where a legit
IMCA member is quoted in what appears to be a false
claim by an ebay seller.

And this can create problems for the one that
"authenticated" the samples being sold in the auction.
 Clearly the letter of "authentication" by an IMCA
member sent to this person does not reflect what the
auction photos show.

And if the person buying this auction then realizes
that the samples are in fact not Canyon Diablo's then
the ebay seller will then say to them when they
complain and demand their money back: "I have the
letter of authentication from NEMS... go to them if
you have a problem, I am only going by what they say."

A bad precedent.

And this auction might very well represent a first
where a legit meteorite identification expert's letter
of authentication is used in this manner.

Russ Kempton must examine this, since his company name
is being used in this auction.

Regards,
Steve Schoner IMCA #4470
http://www.geocities.com/meteorite_identification



> ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822
> Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 13:12:45 -0500
> From: raylunar <raylunar_at_arkansas.net>
> To: ams000_at_aztec.aztecfreenet.org,
> meteorite_identification_at_yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: Question for seller -- Item #2175659927
>
> Hi Steve, here is a copy of the top part of the
> letter I received from Russ Kempton, I think these
> are rare pieces indeed, as all these suspect
> experts
> that have not seen the specimens want to keep
> telling me they are not real. I sold a 13lb piece
> already with the customer being very very satisfied!
> Well anyway I have a money back policy on anything i
> sell, and have 100% positive feedback, and plan on
> it staying that way. I am starting to enjoy
> this!!
> From the land of the mystic Hog!
> Lunar Ray
> ams000_at_aztec.aztecfreenet.org wrote:
>
> > You need to re-connect with Russ Kempton at NEMS.
> You are jumping the gun, saying that these are
> confirmed by him.
> >
> > Very unlikely.
> >
> > For the items shown in your auction are in no way
> "Canyon Diablo" meteorites... and to sell them as
> such is in error, and could warrant legal action.
> >
> > These photos do not represent Canyon Diablo
> meteorites at all... IN fact, they do not represent
> any meteorite, from that locality or any other
> place.
> >
> > Steve Schoner
> > meteorite_identification_at_yahoo.com
> >
> > --------------------
> >
> > Question from: impactor
> > Title of item: 4 lb's IRON CANYON DIABLO
> METEORITE W/PAPERS
> > Seller: lunarray
> > Starts: May-20-03 12:27:07 PDT
> > Ends: May-27-03 12:27:07 PDT
> > Price: Starts at $9.00
> > To view the item, go to:
>
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2175659927
> >
> > Visit eBay, The World's Online Marketplace
> TM at http://www.ebay.com
>

> ATTACHMENT part 2.2 image/jpeg
name=authenticationmeteor.JPG



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
http://search.yahoo.com
Received on Wed 21 May 2003 04:14:02 PM PDT