When 2021 Ended, most people were relieved to have a fresh start. Even though the calendar now reads 2022, it doesnt mean that much has changed around this place, something that shocked absolutely no one. The seedy underbelly of the hobby has ALWAYS been a fucking dark place, going back to the 1990s where manufacturers were accused of running the factory overtime to churn out more cards to sell for profit. Hell, back in the 1950s, Topps threw a bunch of 1952 baseball (yes, that set!) into the river because they couldnt sell it, as the story goes. There are few constants in life, but one remains largely undefeated – more money, more problems. Biggie was right.

Just in the first quarter of the year, there have already been a number of scandals that have become a huge focus for the discourse on social media. Backyard Breaks gave away a box of cards that had a five figure pull, and then decided to not give it away. Marx cards, a large grading submission service has filed for bankruptcy after taking in millions in cards to submit. This bankruptcy comes after allegedly using the funds people paid them to grade cards to open a store. They blamed PSA and others for their issues. Overall, the scandals have only brought more attention for the need for more scrutiny around a number of places in the hobby universe.

Collectors tried to fight back, starting petitions on Change.org, and sending messages to Twitch and other hobby powers to get these people to own up to their mistakes. To a degree, the backlash forced some action, but the damage had already been done. Collectors who lost their cards to Marx have threatened a class action, been in contact with PSA, and exposed a major issue within the hobby.

In large part, there have been 4-5 major situations this year, and we arent even done with the second month of the year. Countless other issues have likely been too small to bubble to the surface. After seeing the outpouring of rage on social media, and the people impacted by these scandals, there is one constant that needs to be further discussed – people undervalue the trust they give to people.

Trust is the emotion and action that makes this hobby function. It is what people give when they send thousands of dollars to a breaker to open cards for them at a secondary location. Its how people show that they are willing to send their most valued possessions to depot thousands of miles away to be graded. It’s the thing that gets abused when the stakes are high and money is flowing. Its the one valuable commodity that collectors have to give even if they have no other valuable assets to their name.

For most businesses, trust can be achieved by showcasing a promising business track record. “Ive done this hundreds of times with success, so I should be trusted to do it again and again.” This isnt out of the ordinary, as most businesses rely on customer satisfaction history to showcase they are trustworthy. However, all it takes is one choice to bring that all crashing down. For most businesses, that track record of success can signal to a business owner that they can take liberties with the trust of their customers. Soon those liberties can become much more than that, after one realizes that they can get away with cutting corners, or even outright defrauding their patrons.

Because there is no federal regulation of this asset based economy, many hobby businesses are likely not even businesses in the eyes of the public. They are some dude in his office turning on a webcam and taking people’s money to resell goods. Because the stakes in this hobby have become so gargantuan, those people are taking in six figure incomes on the regular. Platforms like Facebook, Loupe, and Whatnot offer amateur retailers the chance to seem professional, an action that seems very risky on the surface and likely much more risky underneath. Hobby apps promise vetting and verification, but Facebook offers nothing other than the court of public opinion.

Even Paypal has caught on, offering buyer protection for purchases gone bad, but that process can be easily avoided with platforms like Venmo and Cashapp, which offer little protection. Obviously, the worst people in the hobby have found ways to avoid being responsible for their actions at this point.

Pages like the Sports Card Scammers Exposed website has a facebook group where people can report bad transactions, experiences, and the like, but the page is crowdsourced, and can be a cesspool of drama. Its also focused on the individuals who do bad things, and requires people to seek out information to find it, something that is rarely successful. Im glad these pages exist, even if they are a rudimentary defense, as it offers a starting point for research rather than all of it.

The worst part of all of this, is that we have all had negative experiences with being scammed, myself included. Few exist in this hobby without a story, and most of the stories stem from the exploitation of our trust, knowing that everyone with a dollar in their hand is a target for shady motherfuckers who want to watch the world burn as they count their riches.

Beyond the complaining about lack of action and the way few face the consequences, the real question emerges – how do we avoid getting caught up in the wide web of bad things that happen across the hobby?

This is where we all need to do a little work, and its work that no one wants to do. Homework sucks in every stage of our life, but its the one thing we can do to set ourselves up for success. The more money you spend, the more homework is required. Trust is valuable and shouldnt be available in large quantities. I have a few rules that I try to follow, but not all of them have been successful.

Rule 1 – If its too good to be true, it probably is (the golden hobby rule)

Rule 2 – Dont play with money or cards you cant afford to lose

Rule 3 – Dont pay people with money that isnt protected, unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure you can get it back if necessary

Rule 4 – A proven track record of success only matters if they have something to lose

Rule 5 – Trust your gut, if something smells bad, just walk away

Bottom line, as long as money is available to be stolen, someone will try to steal it. This is true in every area of human existence, and the hobby is no exception. This is where the negativity we all complain about in the hobby serves a purpose. Everyone should look at every deal with skepticism. Everyone should look at every seller, breaker and retailer with skepticism. The more money that exists to be made, the more people will want to make more of it, even if that comes at the detriment of their success and reputation in the long run.

I hope that people realize that the only way these fucking ass hats remain successful is because we let them. You are your only defense, and you are the only way they fail in their schemes. The more work you put into it, the more likely you can avoid any issues.