Collectible store owner says counterfeit trading cards ramped up during pandemic: "There's a high counterfeit market coming out of China"

An 82-year-old Colorado man is facing an uphill court battle after being accused of defrauding people out of $800,000 worth of fake sports memorabilia.

Mayo Gabriel McNeil, made his first court appearance this week. McNeil is accused of defrauding collectors from New York to Michigan in connection with a scheme involving fake sports trading cards, including a Michael Jordan rookie card and a Tom Brady football card. 

Collector experts say the Michael Jordan rookie card is one of the rarest collectible items.

"It's the most commonly counterfeited card known and the most popularly done," said James Farnsworth, the owner of All C's Collectibles. "It's the 86 fleer card."

Farnsworth says the selling of counterfeit sports cards is something they've seen for decades, but it's ramped up since the pandemic.

"There's a high counterfeit market coming out of China," Farnsworth said. "There's a big black market on everything. Right now coins, cards and comic books."

Farnsworth also says actions like those McNeil is accused of tarnishing the industry.

"There's skepticism always in sports cards anyways, athletes and sports in general, so when you add another wrench in this scenario it always hurts business a little. Buyer security and the market I would say would be down a little because of it," he said.

Farnsworth says to avoid being a victim of counterfeited products, make sure you're buying from legitimate dealers or collectors shops and to check the product using a card grading service such as Beckett or PSA-Graded.

"Be very safe where you're buying, even on eBay," he said. "Just check your buyers, who you're buying from-- check their feedback rating, make sure they have 99% or better feedback rating."

McNeil will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. For more information on how to check your products, visit: https://bit.ly/3JfR8TK.