Informing You For Your Protection.....

Postby **TulaBug** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:16 pm

It has come to my attention that someone had commissioned a proto to be made. I was told, by a reliable source, that this person who has made this "Custom Proto" has taken the original piece and stripped the paint off and calling it a custom proto.

This takes buying protos from unknown sellers to an entire new level. I am only posting this so you can see how easy it is to fake a proto so we can all be very aware when we are buying protos, especially off eBay and Facebook from people we do not know.

PLEASE NO NAME CALLING, TRASHING, BASHING, ETC....I WOULD APPRECIATE NOT HAVING TO LOCK THIS THREAD!

Thanks!

Postby **SnackDaddy** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:21 pm

Wow, unbelievable

Postby **Gephyrophobia** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:25 pm

I don't really see a problem with it if it's the same thing.

Postby **blade2025** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:26 pm

That is awful. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Postby **Slim** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:26 pm

How is a "custom proto" even possible. The wording confuses me.

Postby **MadLove** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:27 pm

Oh, people.... Thanks for the info Stacey. It's always good to be reminded to do your research before dropping major money on something like that. Know the seller or find someone who does.

Postby **SnackDaddy** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:29 pm

Gephyrophobia wrote:I don't really see a problem with it if it's the same thing.

Take something that's suppose to be one of 5 which costs $150+, then you take something that's one of 5,000 and make it look the same and scam someone into paying $150 when it really costs you $10.buyer thinks they bought a rare piece but it's really a common piece.

Plus it completely messes the market up for the rare pieces

Postby **SnackDaddy** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:30 pm

Slim wrote:How is a "custom proto" even possible. The wording confuses me.

It's had some custom work done to the production piece to look like a Prototype

Postby **Pophead** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:32 pm

Slim wrote:How is a "custom proto" even possible. The wording confuses me.

My thoughts exactly. I would be suspicious immediately if I saw "Custom" and "Proto" in the same sentence. Thanks for the heads up.

Postby **BigM** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:36 pm

That is terrible. I understand people making metallic customs for themselves when they don't want to pay for an original piece but this is awful. I know who the seller is and I'll keep them anymous and I will not ever buy from them.
Please people do not do this, this takes the fun out of collecting regardless of what this person sells it for (if they even sell it)

Postby **TulaBug** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:36 pm

Imagine if someone copies a Picasso or a Leonardo da Vinci and years down the road it ends up on the secondary market and someone buys the fake....This is the same. Our problem with protos is we have no way to tell a real proto from Funko since they are not marked. It seems like fraud that someone would strip a production piece to make it into a proto. Just my opinion. This is a dangerous slippery slope!

Postby **Cristina** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:41 pm

I was afraid this was the direction that the many reproduction/knockoff "customs" were going.

Definitely use caution when buying protos from somewhere other than Gemini or someone you know. That's why ebay listings for protos are sometimes posted with the question - is this seller a boardie? With the way prices are going in the secondary market on protos (and some production pieces, for that matter) the temptation for fraud may be too much for some people to resist.

Postby **sclarke03** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:42 pm

I hope the moderators have the good sense to ban this person from the board, if in fact they are a member. Banned from Fun Days too.

I'm kinda surprised I haven't heard about someone doing this sooner.

Postby **edorice** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:42 pm

It is a dangerous slippery slope. This person that has about 25 "custom" on Ebay just made a "custom" proto. It is named custom proto. But the person that he made if for may sell it in a few months and oops! forgets to name it "custom" proto. They put it on Ebay for $150 as a proto and the new buyer just got duped.

If this news doesn't bother you then read on, but don't come crying on the board when realize you spent $500 on a spray painted black Storm Trooper on Ebay.

Postby **kevintree** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:42 pm

TulaBug wrote:Imagine if someone copies a Picasso or a Leonardo da Vinci and years down the road it ends up on the secondary market and someone buys the fake....This is the same. Our problem with protos is we have no way to tell a real proto from Funko since they are not marked. It seems like fraud that someone would strip a production piece to make it into a proto. Just my opinion. This is a dangerous slippery slope!

I guess the only way to have a guaranteed authentic proto is from Gemini or when protos are given away directly from Funko. There's just no way to authenticate it after that.. There's no way you can tell on the secondary market unless they are well known and trustworthy in the community.. You're right in saying this is a dangerous, slippery slope. I feel like the problem is only going to head straight down from here for the proto secondary market and 'protos' may end up on eBay over the next few months. ](*,)

This only affects color protos, right? So all-white protos should still be safe?

Postby **SnackDaddy** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:43 pm

This idea my hurt Brian's wrist BUT I think all Protos should be signed

Yea highly unlikely, lol

, Brian would be signing more than Stan Lee! Lol

Postby **Chemo_Nchicago** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:44 pm

defaced pop does not = custom proto. #fail

Postby **sclarke03** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:44 pm

kevintree wrote:
This only affects color protos, right? So all-white protos should still be safe?

Until someone gets the idea to paint it all white.

Postby **SnackDaddy** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:44 pm

kevintree wrote:
TulaBug wrote:Imagine if someone copies a Picasso or a Leonardo da Vinci and years down the road it ends up on the secondary market and someone buys the fake....This is the same. Our problem with protos is we have no way to tell a real proto from Funko since they are not marked. It seems like fraud that someone would strip a production piece to make it into a proto. Just my opinion. This is a dangerous slippery slope!

I guess the only way to have a guaranteed authentic proto is from Gemini or when protos are given away directly from Funko. There's just no way to authenticate it after that.. There's no way you can tell on the secondary market unless they are well known and trustworthy in the community.. You're right in saying this is a dangerous, slippery slope. I feel like the problem is only going to head straight down from here for the proto secondary market and 'protos' may end up on eBay over the next few months.

This only affects color protos, right? So all-white protos should still be safe?

Dude, don't forget Fundays, there's no telling who got what!

Postby **Cristina** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:45 pm

SnackDaddy wrote:This idea my hurt Brian's wrist BUT I think all Protos should be signed

Yea highly unlikely, , Brian would be signing more than Stan Lee! Lol

Or there may be another way to designate a genuine proto. In the past, didn't protos lack the trademarking on the foot? Perhaps we should bring this to Funko's attention and something could be done to designate protos that could not be duplicated by so-called "customizers"

Postby **edorice** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:47 pm

sclarke03 wrote:I hope the moderators have the good sense to ban this person from the board, if in fact they are a member. Banned from Fun Days too.

Well, they said that they made it for a friend. They didn't put it up for sale, so as far as we know he hasn't done anything wrong. But...if this person that has about 25 customs on ebay at this moment starts selling a gang of color protos, buyer beware!!!

Postby **kevintree** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:48 pm

Cristina wrote:
SnackDaddy wrote:This idea my hurt Brian's wrist BUT I think all Protos should be signed

Yea highly unlikely, , Brian would be signing more than Stan Lee! Lol

Or there may be another way to designate a genuine proto. In the past, didn't protos lack the trademarking on the foot? Perhaps we should bring this to Funko's attention and something could be done to designate protos that could not be duplicated by so-called "customizers"

Perhaps an NFC chip drilled directly into the body :-k

Postby **sclarke03** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:48 pm

edorice wrote:
sclarke03 wrote:I hope the moderators have the good sense to ban this person from the board, if in fact they are a member. Banned from Fun Days too.

Well, they said that they made it for a friend. They didn't put it up for sale, so as far as we know he hasn't done anything wrong. But...if this person that has about 25 customs on ebay at this moment starts selling a gang of color protos, buyer beware!!!

You're right. I think I overreacted.

Postby **kevintree** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:50 pm

SnackDaddy wrote:
kevintree wrote:
TulaBug wrote:Imagine if someone copies a Picasso or a Leonardo da Vinci and years down the road it ends up on the secondary market and someone buys the fake....This is the same. Our problem with protos is we have no way to tell a real proto from Funko since they are not marked. It seems like fraud that someone would strip a production piece to make it into a proto. Just my opinion. This is a dangerous slippery slope!

I guess the only way to have a guaranteed authentic proto is from Gemini or when protos are given away directly from Funko. There's just no way to authenticate it after that.. There's no way you can tell on the secondary market unless they are well known and trustworthy in the community.. You're right in saying this is a dangerous, slippery slope. I feel like the problem is only going to head straight down from here for the proto secondary market and 'protos' may end up on eBay over the next few months.

This only affects color protos, right? So all-white protos should still be safe?

Dude, don't forget Fundays, there's no telling who got what!

Oh god.. imagine giving out 300 protos and somehow 600 show up the next day.. :eek:

Maybe we'll see brand new online retailers pop up with 'authentic' Funko protos for half off Gemini's price.

Postby **wolverinert68** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:51 pm

sclarke03 wrote:
kevintree wrote:
This only affects color protos, right? So all-white protos should still be safe?

Until someone gets the idea to paint it all white.

Painting a figure all white is not the same as stripping all the paint off. I have spray painted several figures all white as a base for customs. You can definitely tell they were painted just by feel. It would be an easy ebay dispute

Postby **Cristina** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:56 pm

kevintree wrote:
Cristina wrote:
SnackDaddy wrote:This idea my hurt Brian's wrist BUT I think all Protos should be signed

Yea highly unlikely, , Brian would be signing more than Stan Lee! Lol

Or there may be another way to designate a genuine proto. In the past, didn't protos lack the trademarking on the foot? Perhaps we should bring this to Funko's attention and something could be done to designate protos that could not be duplicated by so-called "customizers"

Perhaps an NFC chip drilled directly into the body

I was thinking along the lines of a special imprint in the foot but hey, whatever works lol

Postby **haydenstorm** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:04 pm

No name calling but this is wrong on many levels. I've shared the info with my group.Thank you Stacey for the info. In the wrong hands this would be a very serious issue

Postby **TulaBug** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:07 pm

edorice wrote:Well, they said that they made it for a friend. They didn't put it up for sale, so as far as we know he hasn't done anything wrong.

Isn't just making fake proto wrong? He posted it on a public site. Whether you sell it or gift it or not. You are forging something and put it out in the market.

Postby **sclarke03** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:09 pm

wolverinert68 wrote:
sclarke03 wrote:
kevintree wrote:
This only affects color protos, right? So all-white protos should still be safe?

Until someone gets the idea to paint it all white.

Painting a figure all white is not the same as stripping all the paint off. I have spray painted several figures all white as a base for customs. You can definitely tell they were painted just by feel. It would be an easy ebay dispute

Ok, then using bleach, or whatever chemicals to turn it white. I'm not an expert on making customs, but I'm sure there are ways to do it.

Postby **Funko5ker** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:09 pm

Hopefully this was taken down from the Facebook page very quickly after it was posted. So many wrong-minded people out there that may get ideas from this. Pretty scary.

Postby **edorice** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:11 pm

TulaBug wrote:
edorice wrote:Well, they said that they made it for a friend. Thedidn't put it up for sale, so as far as we know he hasn't done anything wrong.

Isn't just making fake proto wrong? He posted it on a public site. Whether you sell it or gift it or not. You are forging something and put it out in the market.

Yes, it's wrong but not a call for banning that individual. That was the other part to my response.

Postby **Pumpkin King** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:14 pm

Stacey, did you just compare a Funko to Picasso and Da Vinci? Hahahahaha

Faking protos isnt anything new. People in the action figure community have been doing it for years. Most action figure protos dont sell for much cause people are unsure if they are fakes or not. Maybe this will drop the value on Funko protos in the near future?

Postby **HobieWanKenobi** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:23 pm

This isn't any different as customizers recreating exclusives. Metallic Spongebob, Flashpoint Batman, etc. Its been done and will continue to be done.

The guy labelled it as a custom. He did no wrong.

What happens to this custom in the future is anybody's guess, but the same can be said for all other reproductions.

I think that the image with his FB avatar should be removed. That will only lead to trouble. Like Funatics challenging people to fight at Fundays. It makes all of us look bad.

For all the bashing of the FB group and its members, I would hope that we as a whole here could exhibit some better behavior.

Bottom line...yes, buyer beware. Inform and educate yourself. But don't automatically assume that this guy should be lynched. If and when it happens, then have at it.

But for now, leave the guy his privacy and give him the benefit of the doubt.

Postby **Queen of Marvel** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:29 pm

Stacey, I appreciate the reminder to be wary of what I buy. This board is like asking for a CarFax, so I try to stick to boardies.

Postby **Chemo_Nchicago** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:32 pm

Well now that there will be a huge wave of custom protos coming we can all kiss any value the REAL protos have good bye. I for one am consoled by the fact that, in this case, it was done with the best of intentions. /S

Anyone want in on a case of paint thinner?

Postby **homietrav** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:32 pm

What's the point of owning a "custom proto" or a "custom metallic chase"?
I feel I would always be able to tell the repaints from the originals, but protos....I don't know.
Scary!!

Postby **Funko Pop! Fan16** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:32 pm

Thanks Stacey for this tip.

Crazy, how does someone even make a 'Custom Proto"

Postby **HobieWanKenobi** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:33 pm

DUKIE wrote:Well now that there will be a huge wave of custom protos coming we can all kiss any value the REAL protos have good bye. I for one am consoled by the fact that, in this case, it was done with the best of intentions. /S

Anyone want in on a case of paint thinner?

I thought you don't collect protos because they're valuable.

Postby **Chemo_Nchicago** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:53 pm

Isnt that the only reason not to collect them? Screw buying them if you only like the charactor and wanted something special about that piece.

Postby **jpaskoff** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:54 pm

This really makes me nervous, as all of my protos have so far been from eBay. When I saw this I got worried, I'm really hesitant now on getting more, besides obviously from people well known here. I do think funko needs someway to prove it's a real proto, maybe a certificate of authenticity or having the artist sign it. Not really sure what else to say, I'm just worried about the future of protos, although I kinda figured this would happen eventually...I do agree the person in particular has done no harm, being honest about it being a "custom", however I could see problems happening in the future.

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