How are there, for instance, numerous things claiming to be original Van Goghs, with Certificates of Authenticity and all, on eBay for like $50,000? Is it just fraud (that eBay allows for some reason), or is there something more complicated going on? #art #fraud #ebay #vangogh #fineArt

@ceoln It is clearly a scam.

Here is the same seller as the one you posted trying to cell another van gogh painting:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134634768709?hash=item1f58db8945:g:8hUAAOSwP1lkneq9

However this painting is a famous painting on display at fifth avenue:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436535

So clearly this is fraud.

@ceoln I should point out, its a rather poorly done fraud at that. A quick glance comparing the original and its clear no effort was made to create a convincing copy.

@freemo
That is part of my bafflement, yes!

Are there enough people out there who are both rich enough to have $50,000 (plus $75 shipping lol) and dumb enough to fall for this? To make this fraud worth doing?

I suppose the cost to the perpetrator is small ("only have to sell one!") especially if they assume that no state AG is going to get interested in a nice headline by prosecuting them...

@ceoln Fraud is usually a numbers game. Chances are they never once made a sale at that level but are hopeful. They probably engage in smaller scale fraud that does make money.

What I find odd is how they have 8K + people who are almost all good reviews.