Help needed urgently - Sportizus / Famous Retail

[Jackie-b]

Dear all,

 

This probably isn't the place to ask about this but I really didn't know where else to turn. I know there are some very clued up people around here so I'm hoping that there'll be someone there who can help me.

 

In 2003 I bought a signed Gold Vinyl disc of the "Live Peace In Toronto" album signed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It cost £2900 from a memorobilia store called Sportizus in Cheltenham and although my boyfriend is a big Beatles fan, we did at the end of the day buy it as a bit of an investment.

 

I'm 8 months pregnant now, just gone on maternity leave and thought I'd see if the value had increased any. If it had, I would think about selling it. So, I contacted a couple of Beatles experts who came back to tell me that the autographs are NOT AUTHENTIC. I just can't believe it. It's not only the money but the fact I've been looking at it on the wall for the last 3 yrs thinking wow John Lennon signed that ...and he didn't!

 

Anyway, one of the people I contacted told me that Sportizus were in administration. I then found out that they had been taken over 2 months ago by "Famous Retail Ltd".

 

Famous Retail Ltd tell me that the assets and NOT the liabilities were acquired by themselves and so that it is difficult for them to comment on authenticity issues. They say they will contact the leading Beatles Memorobilia expert (this is tracks.co.uk who also said my piece is not authentic) and they will get Tracks to check all the items that Famous Retail acquired from the administrators. They are also willing to contact the administrators on my behalf to see if they are able to assist me. This is all in a letter from their CEO to me. At the end he says "Perhaps you could advise me if this is an appropriate way for me to help progress your enquiry."

 

So, it sounds like they don't want to take any of the responsibility whatsoever.

 

Well, quite frankly it's not good enough, I want my money back!

 

Someone told me that they thought the company were honouring mistakes that Sportizus had made but onbiously not in my case ...so far anyway.

 

Does anybody out there know what I should do? ...or anyone I could contact for advise? Should I try to get money out of the administrators? out of Famous Retail? ....do you think I have a leg to stand on?

 

Failing all that, I thought about contacting Watchdog because I think Nicky Campbell is a Beatles fan, so maybe he'd be interested in pursuing this for me.

 

Any help would be really appreciated

 

Thanks everyone for your time in reading this ...as I said, I had no idea where else to go.

 

Jackie

[Jackie-b]

Hi

 

Sorry, I posted and then as usual discover this site really does have everything!!!

 

Please could someone move my post to the Retail Stores forum (if they prefer it to be there) ??

 

...also I'd be interested to hear if anyone has any other stories about Sportizus / Famous Retails. Famous Retail Memorabilia ....they have at least 14 stores across the country.

[Rooster-UK]

Hi Jackie.

 

Please could someone move my post to the Retail Stores forum (if they prefer it to be there) ??

It will be done.

 

Good luck.

Regards, Rooster.

[ringos]

Iwould like to get in touch with jackie b who had trouble with her john and yoko signatures,we also have the beatles signatures brought from sportizus in 2003 which have turned out to be fake. ringos

[BSC]

The company is long since gone ringos - unfortunately I don't think there will be any chance of anything being done now

[ringos]

Hi, there is something that can be done as they are fake the person who verified them can be held responsible even though sportizus has gone in to liquidation,thats the reason i was trying to get in touch with jackie b or anyone else who bought fakes from sportizus.please contact me

[JohnnyT100]

The directors of Sportizus are up and running again.

 

Professional Autograph Dealers – The Autographs of the World Team

 

Hamilton Bland is the man who 'authorized' the Sportizus items. I am sure he will help.

 

Cheers

 

John

[GreatWonder]

As I've had a previous interest in autographs I have just checked this website and I must say some of the 'authentic' autographs they are stocking are a COMPLETE JOKE! There is one in particular which is NOTHING like the artist's signature, more akin to a 4 year old's scribble. I can't comment on many so I'm sure they do carry some perfectly legit items, but please if they are so called experts in their field surely they would compare some of their stock to widely available examples of the celebrities actual signature.

 

I personally would avoid any site like this. The best way to obtain a genuine autograph is in-person.

[saturnfive]

I also have a set of ' suspect' autographs from Sportizus.I would be interested to know if anyone has had any success in getting a refund?

Regards

saturnfive

[CP Boss]

Selling fake autographs is fraudulant and can carry a custodial sentence. If you suspect any autograph dealer of selling fakes, then contact initially the Office of Fair Trading, who will then investigate and consider whether criminal proceedings are necessary. For reference you can visit www.aftal.org or www.uacc.org. If any member on here is found to be selling fakes then all hell will break loose.

 

I am really sorry to hear from those of you who have had your "fingers burnt". It is disgusting what some of these autograph dealers will do. I run a small autograph business and we guarantee all of our items for life. We will only sell products that have come from verified dealers or through private signings that we commission ourselves. It is a complete minefield of an industry. Ironically, it is the sites that look the most bone fide, that are usually the worst to deal with.

 

If anyone would like any other help with their plight, then please log on to EDIT, where you will find all of my contact details. I will be only too glad to help as it is my mission in life to rid this industry of phoney products.

 

Yours

 

Lincoln Hillan

Edited October 12, 2012 by freakyleaky

[MARTIN3030]

Thank you for the information about Aftal.

Commercial links to private businesses are forbidden under site rules.

With this in mind,the second link has been removed.

Thanks for your understanding.