More eBay Concerns

[Alan_b]

The snowdrop G. elwesii 'The Groom' is currently being offered for sale on eBay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/galanthus-elwesii-The-groom-/171275638699?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item27e0d2d7ab

But the photograph has been lifted without permission from this site http://www.galanthus.co.uk/snowdrop/The-Groom and I understand the site owner, Rod Begbie (I think), says he has only ever parted with a single bulb of 'The Groom' and does not believe that what is being sold derives from that.  There seems to be a recurrent form of eBay scam where ordinary plants are sold out-of-season as rare plants and the purchaser does not discover this until the plant flowers many months later.  I do not know if this is an instance of such a scam but the circumstances appear quite suspicious.  My attention was drawn to the is by the Facebook Snowdrop Group. 

[johnralphcarpenter]

This seller has offered many rare snowdrops in recent weeks, including 'Elizabeth Harrison'. Caveat emptor.

[Alan_b]

Or bidder beware in this instance (I cannot translate that into Latin).  This seller is also selling 'Green Tear' at present, that is if it really is 'Green Tear'.  And the eBay price of 'The Groom' seems to have gone into reverse this morning.

[emma T]

I'm sure I know who the person was who has the single bulb that was given away , and it pretty much was still a single bulb when I saw it .

[emma T]

The eBay price has dropped from £100 down to £16

[Alan_b]

I hope the price reverse means that we are doing some good by raising doubts about the authenticity of this snowdrop.

Emma, can you contact the owner of that single bulb of 'The Groom' that seems to be the only possible source of a genuine one being offered for sale?  If they can confirm that they are not the vendor and have not distributed that cultivar further then that knowledge would make it almost certain that the one being offered for sale on eBay is a fake. 

[emma T]

they confirm it's not them and I trust them completely

[Alan_b]

I take it that the owner of the site www.galanthus.co.uk is the originator of 'The Groom'?  So either the information we have that reportedly comes from them is wrong or the snowdrop being sold on eBay as 'The Groom' is a fake.

[Mavers]

They're even using the same wording as Rod  to describe the snowdrop.

[Maggi Young]

Rod Begbie is the only source of this snowdrop, as previously stated.

This ebay seller claimed that he "was old" and so had no good photo of his own to illustrate the  alleged 'Elizabeth Harrison' when he was challenged about using a stolen picture to sell the bulb -
no doubt that would be his answer now - but I think we are all sure that he does NOT have this very rare snowdrop to sell.
How very sad that people are so dishonest.

[Alan_b]

I think we have to be reconciled to the fact that there are a few dishonest people around.  For me the sad thing is that it appears that are means by which someone can commit fraud via eBay with very little fear of being prosecuted for it.  On the other hand, it is very good and very public-spirited of the SRGC to allow us to raise concerns on the forum when the authenticity of a plant being sold appears questionable or a photograph is being used without permission.     

[emma T]

He can't be that old if he is using eBay mobile to sell final fantasy figures from his collection

[emma T]

And if hes using a mobile , what mobile that is internet ready doesn't come with a camera !

[Maggi Young]

Exactly!!

[Alan_b]

Hmm, oddly reminiscent of the seller who sold Anne Wright a fake 'Ailwyn' a few years ago but mainly sold models and figurines.