As time goes on and several dealers have proved that it is possible to make a profit from unsuspecting plate collectors by selling them outright fake plates, there are a steadily growing number of manufacturers of these fake plates. Some are in the USA, some in Hungary and now, it appears there are at least 3 shops in Poland selling fake European plates. They advertise them on the Polish language equivalent of Ebay (www.allegro.pl).
Many of these plates have something wrong with them but some are very close to the real thing.
It has to be said over and over again. DO NOT BUY MINT PLATES unless you personally know the seller, he or she has a good reputation and can explain why the plate is mint. Even the most honest collectors can get conned sometimes. It is starting to become clear that collectors need to go back to trading with partners they trust using the few plate forums that there are at present and to stop buying any old plate they see on Ebay.
Some of the crooks that sell fake plates on Ebay also use a trick whereby they have another Ebay identity and use that other one to bid on their own plates to get the prices higher.
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