Jazz Vinyl Fraud: No News, More Comments
Here’s an update on some of the stuff going on in the Jazz Collector world.
Nothing new from eBay on the Nautiluso Jazz Vinyl Fraud. I had sent a follow-up note asking specifically what eBay was doing about paying off victims of the scam and I haven’t gotten a response. I’ll follow up sometime today or tomorrow. I’m sure they’re sick of hearing from me. Also, there’s no new feedback on the profile page for Nautiluso. Frankly, I’m surprised eBay still has the page up and available.
Some of the Jazz Collector readers have commented offline about the fraud, presumably because they wanted to be anonymous on the site. I will share excerpts here:
“With all the viewers on these auctions, why is it that no one has commented one way or the other, that the pictures must have been snatched from other websites (popsike) or older eBay listings? I say this as presumably he never had these records and was planning this caper for some time. Did anyone not recognize their own pictures? I have seen this issue addressed in other auctions and the seller rightly acknowledges that these were stock or someone else’s pictures. Just a thought.”
“I hope ebay does the right thing. it would look pretty awful if they didn’t, though they make you jump thru hoops to get any satisfaction. i bought a bogus chanel #5 a few years back. It smelled like piss, and to get back the 50 bucks I had to go to a perfumery and have them state in writing that it wasn’t the real stuff. Then a hundred more phonecalls – At least I learned a lesson-”
“Hi Al…Same thing, only worse, happened a couple of years ago from a seller in Italy with a collection too good to be true, with NO PICTURES and only feedback from selling trivial items. Thanks, Chuck in Michigan”
“Hey Al, I wasn’t buying what they were selling (so to speak). They also listed some heavy Classical pieces as well. It smelled like yesterdays socks!”
I think the Ella CD release must have been delayed for some reason. Even amazon are saying 1-3 weeks to ship, which basically means they don’t have it & don’t know when they will get it. There are obviously a few promo copies knocking about at a ridiculous price. You can get it on itunes though.
The Ella CD has been released as I ordered it from Dusty Groove. It is a Hip-o-Select release and I’ve found that their releases don’t always make it into traditional stores. Not sure why though. At the same time, they also released the 1949-50 Clef/Mercury Recordings of Oscar Peterson and the Complete Commodore/Decca Recordings of Billie Holiday.
Thanks for the extra info Doug, which led me to the Hip-O Select website (www.hip-oselect.com), which seems to be the only site to have it in stock now (Dusty Groove don’t have any more copies at present). Have all the other stores sold out or not got their copies yet? Anyway, seems it’s a Ltd Edition (8000), so it may not be a good idea waiting for it to show in a local store…
from hiposelect.com:
“Hip-O Select is Universal Music Group’s newest imprint, launched April 1, 2004. Selling directly to customers through its website, the label has released close to 200 projects featuring such diverse artists as Etta James, The Supremes, The Animals, Jimmy Cliff, Peggy Lee, DJ Shadow, James Brown, Suzanne Vega, and Joe Walsh.”
The 3 releases Doug mentions seem to be the only jazz titles they’ve done so far.
That’s great research, Geraint. My brain cell (singular) seems to be a bit on the fritz these days. You’d think after not finding it in any store anywhere I would have done what you did and look it up on line. I think it’s time to head over to Hip-O Select and place an order.
Speaking of popsike, I am planning on sending them an email with a link to the threads on this page talking about the jazz fraud of 2009. Nautiluso’s listing should not be included in their archive.
Your dedication to this scam, and your investigative journalism on top, has inspired me Al. I’ve been passing the jazz collector link on to other vinyl parties to get the word out more about this hooligan and his shenanigans.
Geraint, the 3 releases I mentioned are part of Hip-O Select’s new jazz line, Verve Select. If the first 3 releases are any indication they seem to be releasing the type of projects that hitherto have been of the type handled by Mosaic. Jazz CD reissues, even by the Japanese labels, have slowed down greatly and with the prices of the rare LPs skyrocketing I hope Verve Select has some more gems up their sleeve.
I checked out the Ella CD on Amazon. They are offering to sell it, but don’t have it in stock. So, I guess Hip-O-Select is the way to go. I’m on my way there now.
I have a little vinyl fraud problem of my own. I bought a copy of beatles revolver, paid yesterday and today the seller is no longer registered.
I guess I was asking for it by not following jazz records that day, right? Has anybody out there tried the new ebay fraud protection, or should I just stick with paypal?
I’m not sure which is better, esp. since some people didn’t get all of their money back from Nautiluso.