Buying possible stolen cards?

[mtg_dealerz]

Greetings this is a new account because this will be a sensitive topic and I intend to keep the source confidential.

So a few days ago, an old magic acquaintance messages me on facebook and asks if I’m interested in buying his cards. At first I thought this wasn’t really worth my time since this individual never had anything really great just some old standard stuff (already rotated years ago) but with random old rares worth obscure amounts I said sure and asked him to send a list.

So a few moments later, I get a list full of cards that includes 3 full legacy decks, huge foil lot with random cards that are legacy/modern staples (2 copies of some but mostly just one) and some trade stuff that’s mostly modern/old standard (nothing too old, no p9, etc). Now I asked him what price he was looking for and he said around ebay minus 25%/SCG retail minus 40% depending on how much cash I can fork up. I borrowed some money and met up with him to buy some of the cards, and yes he did have all of it but I could only purchase a few cards since I didn’t have the money. He knows what it’s worth… not a stupid person by any means.

So I mentioned, how he came to all this since he never had anything good when we played back in the day. And to my shock he just flat out said they weren’t his and was selling it for a friend. I told him I would think about buying the collection but only bought $500 worth of stuff right there and will contact him later. He said if I don’t buy it all within a few days he’s going to just sell it to multiple dealers and players.

I do want the cards at this great of a price… it’s too hard to pass up imo, thoughts?

[nedleeds]

What are you asking the message board? The morality of buying stolen goods or the legality? Why? Why would anyone's opinion here dissuade you? or encourage you? Get the fuck out of here.

[mtg_dealerz]

What are you asking the message board? The morality of buying stolen goods or the legality? Why? Why would anyone's opinion here dissuade you? or encourage you? Get the fuck out of here.

Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price.

[Arsenal]

Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price.

Yep, this entire message board is turning green with envy. Now go away kid.

[mtg_dealerz]

Yep, this entire message board is turning green with envy. Now go away kid.

So you're telling me you honestly wouldn't even consider it?

[nedleeds]

Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price.

Yes I'm jealous that you are buying a bunch of english stolen cards from some other degenerate loser. Darn ... I wish I had nice magic cards ...

[Koby]

If you have suspicion to believe these are stolen, then that's reason enough to not only NOT buy them, but inform other local dealers of the same situation.

We recently had a local store broken into with high-end EDH decks with foils and beta cards stolen. Another local store with lesser scruples bought them. Subsequently, a police report was filed for the stolen goods; and the store who bought them was involved with the police.

Do you want to be involved with police?

[Arsenal]

So you're telling me you honestly wouldn't even consider it?

No. If a police investigation (that you may be unaware of) is being conducted and they end up locating the thief, it won't take long for them to find out who he sold to. Sales over the internet probably won't be pursued, but since this guy is your acquaintance and he can give them your contact information, I wouldn't be surprised if you were brought in for questioning and even if you don't get in trouble, your cards that you bought would be seized as evidence and most likely returned to their lawful owner... leaving you cardless AND without money (good luck trying to recover your money from that thief).

[Megadeus]

Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price.

This made me LOL so fucking hard at the hilarity of who he was talking to... This dude is a fucking clown. Whoever you are go KYS

[Cellar Door]

This made me LOL so fucking hard at the hilarity of who he was talking to... This dude is a fucking clown. Whoever you are go KYS

Knowingly purchasing stolen goods is illegal and you can, and probably will be, prosecuted for it.

Purchasing stolen goods that you think could be stolen is not technically a crime, as you don't really know they are stolen, however it should at least be morally condemning to you, unless you are just a heartless asshole.

Rather than thinking about the awesome deal you are getting, try and summon up just a small amount of empathy for the "other guy" that the cards you are about to purchase were stolen from. How would you feel if some asshole ripped off part or all of your collection and then hawked it off to other people?

So, to answer your question: Yes it is wrong to purchase stolen, or suspected stolen, goods. It is both legally and morally reprehensible and if you are caught, you will most assuredly be shunned by the magic community.

And no, no one in here is "jealous" of whatever you could potentially be able to acquire if it is being done through theft and malice.

[Madmaniac21]

You're not knowingly buying stolen goods here. He really COULD be selling them for a friend.

Would only be suspicious if you knew of X stolen cards, and happen to see person Y selling a chunk of X.

Shady, but /shrug. Same as the markets - people sometimes want to liquidate, and liquidity has a price.

[syfilisx]

I sold huge lot of my friends cards near end of last year. We were asking lowest MCM price for most. Sold most valuables pretty fast and he got good money, since he hadn't played since Lorwyn and had accuired most legacy stuff cheap. So it's not entirely unreasonable that guy might be selling for friend who just wants cash out fast and don't care too much about getting full price.

But yeah, what other people said, if you know it's stolen then you shouldn't even need to ask.

[pavlaugh]

it’s too hard to pass up imo, thoughts?

Thought #1: it's not a good idea to rely on legal advice from anonymous people over the Internet who don't know what state you live in.
Thought #2: you're probably going to buy the cards anyway even if people tell you (1) there is a chance you could be prosecuted criminally; (2) there is a chance the cards will be seized by authorities; and/or (3) ZOMG it's immoral.
Thought #3: if you're seriously concerned about legal consequences, you might consider asking your question here: http://www.avvo.com/ask-a-lawyer?ref=homepage.

[dunk]

add random picture of a troll here

[baghdadbob]

:laugh:

[Dark Ritual]

I wouldn't touch those cards with a 100 foot pole. If it's stolen, you might have to get involved with the police. Do you want to get involved with the police? Based on your posts I think you would shit your pants if the police showed up at your door kid.

"Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price." <-- Yeah I'm so envious that you can get stolen goods at a fraction of the price /sarcasm. If I knew a particular card/collection was stolen, I would never buy it in a million years. If you knowingly buy stolen goods, you're a fucking scumbag no ifs about it.

If he really is selling them for a friend, good for him? But I seriously doubt that. The "friend" excuse is so old in terms of using it to cover something shady up so people don't suspect you of being a thief/shady person.

[kombatkiwi]

Can't you just ask this guy for the friend's details so that you can confirm whether it's a legitimate deal or not?

He'll either
A) Put you into contact with said friend, everything is okay.
B) Flip out and retract the deal on some kind of "I'm so offended how could you suggest I'm selling stolen goods", "Friend is a hermit, doesn't talk to anyone" basis, making it pretty clear that he's just making shit up.
C) Be like "Ok so yeah you got me, these cards actually fell off the back of a truck" in which case steer fucking clear like everyone else in the thread has already told you to do.

[lordofthepit]

If you have any reasonable doubt, don't do it.

[Darkenslight]

I wouldn't touch those cards with a 100 foot pole. If it's stolen, you might have to get involved with the police. Do you want to get involved with the police? Based on your posts I think you would shit your pants if the police showed up at your door kid.

"Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price." <-- Yeah I'm so envious that you can get stolen goods at a fraction of the price /sarcasm. If I knew a particular card/collection was stolen, I would never buy it in a million years. If you knowingly buy stolen goods, you're a fucking scumbag no ifs about it.

If he really is selling them for a friend, good for him? But I seriously doubt that. The "friend" excuse is so old in terms of using it to cover something shady up so people don't suspect you of being a thief/shady person.

I disagree. I'd buy it in a heartbeat....then post somewhere that I've got these cards, I think they were stolen, and try and track the guy they were stolen from down. If I genuinely couldn't for whatever reason, then and only then would I keep the cards.

[mini1337s]

@ OP:
When someone jacks your cards, I hope you are happy with the fact that someone is getting a sweet deal on a new collection.
Grow up.

[goblinsplayer]

I would not even think about buying the cards. Think of all the effort and time and money that you spend trying to get good at this game and thinking about it. What if all your cards were stolen and you had no money to fall back on for magic. You would be upset. So don't buy the collection because i dont think you would want to be involved with the police, and the guy that got stolen from must feel pissed, imagine if your that guy and think about how much of a dick you're being when you buy those cards.

If you really want the cards then go ahead, im not going to stop you :P

[Dan Turner]

You have 2 options buy or don't buy, that is it. If you buy get a written receipt for the goods showing you purchased them in good faith.


Then if they are stolen they have to prove in court you purchased stolen goods, you have a receipt for them. Identifying magic cards is extremely hard unless they are altered or of extreme rarity. Or as in my case all my power /beta dual and a few other cards are marked with a uv stamp to show up under black-light.


In the long run it is up to you what you do. If it was my case I would buy them if they are stolen I return them to the owner, if not I made a great deal. I buy laptops and cell phones via Craigslist and ebay a lot very few times have I ever came across a deal where I believed the items are stolen (driving an old 1988 Chevy Caprice and having a trunk full of iPhones, Galaxy SII's and top of the line laptops is a good hint something is not kosher.)

[HammafistRoob]

Just buy the fucking cards. If you don't somebody else will. I've had my collection stolen before, and yeah it sucks but at the end of the day they're just cards(money).

Oh yeah and -In before the lock kneegrows!!!-

[TheInfamousBearAssassin]

Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price.

"What is a man profited that he should gain a complete Legacy collection but be a piece of shit?"

[Hoojo]

A major reason thievery exists is that it can be profitable. If you are willing to make his acquisition profitable, then you are supporting thievery, and have no ground to stand on if you are yourself robbed. Ask yourself what that says of you.

[dontbiteitholmes]

Thanks for the advice.. your just jealous that I can get these cards that people want for a fraction of the price.

Ebay -25% or SCG retail -40% is pretty close to the top end of what a store will payout for cards. From the POV of someone dealing with a seller who is looking for a quick cash-out you aren't really getting a great deal, you are just paying typical dealer prices. Even if he sold on Ebay he'd lose roughly 15% through fees, so most of the time if you can find someone who plans to sell cards on Ebay you can talk them into 20% discount cash in hand. What I'm getting at is you are sounding like a douche, buying stolen cards, and acting like you are getting away with murder when in reality you are paying slightly more than whatever store his plan B is and getting a slightly better discount than a regular joe might be able to legitimately dig up on occasion at an increased risk. I've bought plenty of cards from friends legit for 20-30% off Ebay prices just because I told everyone if they planned on selling shit on Ebay contact me first or been at events when friends won store credit and had to get cards they then wanted to trade for cash.

[Kayradis]

@ OP:
When someone jacks your cards, I hope you are happy with the fact that someone is getting a sweet deal on a new collection.
Grow up.

mini1337 and myself have dealt with people having their card stolen in our LGS and community.

It's a fucking shame.

Hope you buy them then you papercut yourself to death.

Lame ass

[troopatroop]

This is some Dark Oldschool Albany shit. I Liek. I'll have it be known I delivered a U/G/W/r Thresh deck back to Alix Hatfield at Big Arse 2, Yet I was FROM Albany, who were THE den of thieves among theives, shit I lost so much shit to thieves, but alas.... I would probably buy the cards at good prices too.... but I would certainly nig nog on the prices too.. especially if it's gg foils and stuff..... ala albany ;) Some like it hot...

[Amon Amarth]

Don't buy stolen cards. It's been pointed out by others that you aren't getting a "sweet Dealz" either so even if you were morally bankrupt you really don't profit anything from this unless you count criminal activity as one of your hobbies.