Thread: winchester firearms factory lock?

Fake / Fantasy lock - 100 % sure that it is modern, made in India and being sold in huge numbers. Value around $15.

This lock is built on exactly the same pattern as the series of fake/fantasty prison locks, bearing the names of many US prisons, often also stamped 'Death Row" (eg http://www.antique-locks.com/antique...sion-lock.html)

It seems that those making these locks are getting more crafty - the artifical aging is more convincing on this example, and the keyhole cover is 'missing' from the lock, complete with deliberate difference in 'patina' in the area where the cover should be.

There are a few bids on the item, but fortunately the top bid is still low. I really hope somebody doesn't end up shelling out big money for this.

ANTIQUE WINCHESTER FIREARMS FACTORY PADLOCK LOCK w/KEY - eBay, Locks, Keys, Tools, Hardware Locks, Collectibles. (end time 30-Nov-09 13:30:57 AEDST)

Caveat emptor!

...mercurial

Someone did, US$61 is about 10 times what it's worth ..

:(

It was a LONG time ago that I gave up trying to alert eBay to fake/fantasy locks that are clearly misrepresented as being antique/genuine.

Even so, for some reason I decided to give it another shot with this item, only to be told that they think the listing is OK, they may contact Winchester, and if Winchester request, the listing will be removed (too late for that).

Has anybody actually managed to get eBay to act on fraud such as this?
It isn't even possible to let the buyer know that they've been ripped off anymore.

I feared it would sell for even more - with 2 hours left there were 20 bids and it was already up to $50.

...mercurial

I used to tell sellers, sometimes they did'nt know, but most the time they did. Now it is not possible to even warn unsuspecting buyers. The thing I never get is that a search of ebay usually reveals other locks almost identical being sold at the time same and yet people still buy them thinking they are real ?!

---------- Post added at 11:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 AM ----------

PS - Ebay don't care. They get paid either way .........

I've also told sellers in the past - and occasionally they didn't know, and cancelled/modified the listing - but that was VERY rare. Most often the seller has purchased the lock(s) from the importer, or even from India.

I wonder how many people that made high bids on this lock will get 'second chance offers' for an identical lock...

Before contacting eBay I did contact the seller, I gave them very clear evidence that this lock is a fantasty item, and not an antique. I thought they would ignore me, but they replied, insisting the lock is genuine and an antique.

Ebay's reply made it clear they don't care - as long as they get paid, and as long as their ass is covered with respect to the law, they turn a blind eye.

It is a shame that it isn't possible to warn unsuspecting buyers anymore - there are some members of this site that first came here because I advised them that they had bought a fake, and pointed them here!

...mercurial