Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Do your homework. Analyze the dates of the products being sold. An "authentic" John Lennon signature on a CD collection is not possible. John Lennon was murdered in 1980 and CDs were not mass produced until later that decade.
Ask the seller specific details about the item. Find out when and where the memorabilia was purchased and if there's a receipt. Be especially cautious when purchasing anything over the Internet and ask if the seller offers a money-back guarantee.
Look for logos and labels that you can investigate. Check for the country of origin and, if it isn't listed, the item is most likely fake.
Compare autographs being sold with the authentic signatures shown online or in reference books. Any shaky signature that does not flow smoothly is probably not real, since a forger writes very carefully and often stops to get it right.
John Lennon and George Harrison are forged most frequently, while Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have proven to be the most difficult to counterfeit, since their writing is harder to read.
Study a website like Beatlesite.com that lists counterfeit Beatles merchandise on the market. Faked products include 3D glasses, marbles, alarm clocks, spoons, puzzles, rulers, lunchboxes, shoelaces and tattoos, as well as jewelry, figurines, dolls, music sets, Christmas ornaments, mirrors, music boxes and Beatles' hair.