New eBay TPG [redacted] - Buyer Beware !!!

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

There is a new eBay scam in progress where a seller is attempting to sell TPG banknotes from a TPG company that don't exist.

The eBay seller is "the_banknote_trading_co" and in the eBay Seller Information he lists his name as Adem Karisik of Vancouver, BC.

The TPG notes are in holders from PMCGS (Paper Money Certification and Grading Services).  Many of the holders have spelling mistakes and other errors in the descriptions.

Several holders list the website of the TPG as pmcgsgrading.com.  Navigating to this URL brings up a blank page.

A quick WHOIS search shows that this domain is registered to Adem Karisik (the eBay seller).   Buyer Beware !!!

http://www.ebay.ca/usr/the_banknote_trading_co?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

Thanks for sharing!  I looked at his ebay page and it seems as though he has sold quite a few items and to people who have as high as 4000 feedback. I just wonder if the banknotes are perhaps real, but the company behind the grading is fictitious.  Nevertheless, it is fraudulent practice if the goal is to mislead people.  A few of the notes sold had spelling errors too.

It looks like this person has developed their own packaging.
If you are concerned with the listings, you can contact eBay.
To sell a certified note on eBay, it must be from an authorized eBay third party grading company, and this is not one of them.

I bought a 100 dollar low serial note graded already by this company.  The note inside was real and had typically embossing and security features plus i know the guy who send it for grading.  The graders have a tendancy to not spell words correctly which questions their credibility (in my opinion).  In my opinion, the assigned grade was correct and the holder is similar to Steves at BCS but has one small hole to allow marginal airflow

I don't see anything wrong with this at all. Just because PMCGS is not the most popular TPG service doesn't mean it doesn't exist or isn't legit. TPG services are completely unregulated and there's no trade qualification nor anything else stopping anyone from starting one up, which the person behind PMCGS has done. All TPG services have to start somewhere, after all. I wish PMCGS well.

There were a few other companies that started up grading business ( unigrade, westgate and CCC).  This is not a ebay spam in my opinion, although anything is possible on an individual basis

While it is true that TPG's are unregulated, I feel it is pretty misleading to have a website on your label that doesn't exist. 

Are you talking about the website printed on the holder of the note in the OP of this thread? It works for me.
http://pmcgsgrading.com

As for poor grading standards and/or spelling mistakes, yes that is an indicator of a rather unprofessional service. But that doesn't make it ban-worthy or a scam. TPG services are like advice columnists in the newspaper. They are paid to give their opinion, nothing more. There is no guarantee of results based on the advice given. Advice columnists (and TPG services) who routinely dole out bad advice in an unprofessional way simply put themselves out of business. No bans are necessary.

I am with seth ln this one.  I did not see the pmcgs grade 70 but pmg issues these grades too... so maybe they are both crazy? I have seen polymer graded by Loius at 69.  The most steve will give is 67. 

HI I am Adem Karisik I own PMCGS I am offering a TPG service an have had dozens of people submit banknotes to me. PMCGS is the north shore numismatic society (the provinces largest coin club.) recognized  grading company
(don't believe me http://northshorenumismaticsociety.org/dealers/ scroll to bottom and check it out for yourself.)
 We are not a scam CCCS BCS ICCS all grade their own material
my eBay account is still active I don't have anything listed because I sent my notes into PMG to have graded. I was not kicked out of eBay my selling limit is still half a million. We no longer grade our own material that is why I sent it into PMG. BTW I've sold close to $100,000 In PMCGS holders on my eBay not a single negative feedback as I do a good job with grading
Thanks you

BTW PMCGS has graded almost 1,000 notes so we are a small company however we have never graded any banknote higher than GEMUNC-66

HI I am Adem Karisik I own PMCGS I am offering a TPG service an have had dozens of people submit banknotes to me. PMCGS is the north shore numismatic society (the provinces largest coin club.) recognized  grading company
(don't believe me http://northshorenumismaticsociety.org/dealers/ scroll to bottom and check it out for yourself.)
 We are not a scam CCCS BCS ICCS all grade their own material
my eBay account is still active I don't have anything listed because I sent my notes into PMG to have graded. I was not kicked out of eBay my selling limit is still half a million. We no longer grade our own material that is why I sent it into PMG. BTW I've sold close to $100,000 In PMCGS holders on my eBay not a single negative feedback as I do a good job with grading
Thanks you

As the author of the original June 2017 post in this thread I feel I should comment on recent posts on this subject.

I personally do not recognize PMCGS as a "credible" grading company.  The owner has acknowledged that he personally graded his own inventory to then sell on eBay.  I've exchanged email with Adem Karisik in the past, and based on those communications and my own detailed research,  I would not consider using his services.  This of course is my personal opinion only.

On the other hand I would not hesitate to use and recommend BCS' grading services.  They are the most recognized Canadian Third Party Grading company, and they do not grade their own inventory for resale purposes.  They are entirely impartial and grade by conservative "Canadian Grading Standards".  They have officially been vetted and accepted by eBay, along with PCGS and PMG, as an eBay recognized TPG for banknotes.  In fact, Steven Bell of BCS is so well respected in the Canadian paper money field that he was asked to be the new editor of the 2019 Charlton Canadian Government Paper Money 31st Edition Catalogue, replacing the venerable Bob Graham.

Steve at BCS is the strictist grading company around in my opinion and most peoples.  If i buy or get a note graded by bcs i have confidence in that note.  Its a shame most dealers send their stock to US TPG just to make profit through higher grades.  Sad part is they get away with it most cases.  Always remember to look/buy the notes, not the grade.

Do you suppose these banknotes that the scammer was trying to sell, were actually Photoshop jobs?

Please refrain from making unfounded accusations.

Reading through this thread I see no evidence of any kind of scam being carried out.  Certain individuals have questioned the credibility of a certain lesser-known grading service.  That is all.

Adem Karisik took the time to sign up to the forum to stand up for himself and clarify matters.  Let's please show him some respect and keep the discussion constructive and civil.

..PMCGS has graded almost 1,000 notes so we are a small company however we have never graded any banknote higher than GEMUNC-66

I have removed my 2 earlier posts from this thread & wish to apologize to Adem Karisik of PMCGS. 

I have removed my 2 earlier posts from this thread & wish to apologize to Adem Karisik of PMCGS.

So have I.  In fact, I never knew Adam posted to clarify the matters until just now.  I wish to apologize to Adam for my misinterpretation.