Recently we found very tricky listings on Mercari. These listing are generally as shown in this photo. How do you think?
Mysteriousness
1) Photo : 1 photo only listed
2) Price : JPY 20,000-JPY30,000 rather expensive
3) Shipping method : not decided, but after someone purchased, it was changed to YuYu Mercari Bin
4) Description : no description
5) Seller’s feed back : feedback by seller only, no feedback by buyer
6) The seller has so many autograph items.
It is very strange listing, and we have investigated the reason of these mysteries.
A1) We can not understand why the seller has so many autograph items. It seems they are not genuine.
A2) Each listing is very simple of magazine clipping and just signed. The seller doesn’t want to show the detail.
A3) The selling price is very profitable for the seller.
A4) If shipping method is undecided, the seller can see the buyer’s name and address. That means the seller can identify the buyer is personal or proxy companies who export the items to overseas. Also it is strange that the seller change shipping method from undecided to YuYu Mercari Bin after item was purchased.
A5) The seller does not write any description of the item. Normally for autograph items, most sellers write like “I got sign at autograph session in Tokyo in Sep. 2024” etc. But this seller does not write anything on the autograph. It seems the autograph was not signed by the person herself or himself. There is a possibility the seller write by themselves. All signed are written in black ink, same line thickness, same pen pressure, All autograph are same handwriting, but lines are different and not stable.
A6) This is related to above no. A4, In case of YuYu Mercari Bin, it has tracking number and shipping is anonymous. So buyer cannot see the seller’s name and address. There is no seller’s information on the package. Normally after receipt of the goods, the buyer press acceptance button on Mercari App, after that the seller press button of acceptance, too.
Then trading will be finished. However, if the seller does not press acceptance button, Mercari can finalize this transaction in 9 days after acceptance by the buyer. This is becase shipping method is Mercari Bin and Mercari can confirm arrival of the items at the buyer. In that case, feedback by the buyer cannot be affected to seller’s feedback, also there is no feedback to buyer, too.
It seems the seller intentionally do this and leave to stand till the deadline. If the buyer is personal, the buyer may take any action against the seller or Mercari. But if the buyer is proxy company, they do not do any action. The seller knows this issue.
After all this seller was banned by Mercari.
Conclusion
Judging the above issues in a comprehensive manner, we can say that
These autograph were made by other person, ie they are fake, and since proxy companies cannot judge authentication, the seller targeting proxy companies who does not doubt anything. They are scammer.