I think that seller coco2be is a scammer. I really, really don't want to write this, it's quite embarrassing. I want to warn others from making the same mistakes I did, by ignoring all of the red flags (and there were many)! Here are my concerns and what I discovered, chronologically. I'm sorry it is so long and extensive, but if this is a scam, Ebay needs to know to remove this seller (and these sales could possibly be considered criminal in nature), so I thought it was important to document everything! You will have to decide for yourself what conclusion to make.
1) "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is..."
I couldn't believe the quality and prices I was seeing. I am a jewelry novice and fairly new to e-bay, but I could not believe the deals from the "dollar-noreserve" store. The items were listed as used/pre-worn though, and I knew enough to realize that insurance appraisals often come in artificially high, so I chose to ignore the first red flag and considered myself just lucky to have stumbled upon these items (even though the items were selling for a fraction of their probable value). Honestly, this ALONE should have stopped me!
2) No Ebay certification process.
I found it very strange when I realized that this very expensive jewelry would not go through eBay's normal 3rd party verification system. When I purchased jewelry before, I found comfort in the fact that someone was verifying the authenticity of the listing. Then again, each piece of jewelry already had an appraisal. I guess I also assumed that an eBay "top seller" with a 100% feedback rating (who exclusively deals in fine jewelry), had to be legitimate.
3) Dollar-no-reserve has no separate online presence or storefront.
I tried to look up the seller/store to see if I could find another website or physical storefront (for more information and to view possible, additional merchandise). I could not find one. This was odd. How do they advertise or solicit jewelry consigners/sellers to get pieces to list in the first place? My thought was that they must sell exclusively on eBay. They also advertise that they are a "3rd generation family-owned and operated jewelry business", so maybe they had/have contacts from a long history of prior business? Right before I finished writing this post, I did stumble across a separate website: dollarnoreserve.com. It is not much help though as it links directly to the eBay page in every way, so the only new/different information provided was a phone number: (206) 592-7916 and an address of: 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware 19713. It doesn't appear that dollar-noreserve actually offices there, but the building does advertise "virtual offices" for rent. Guess what happens when you call the number? An immediate message stating, "THE NUMBER IS NOT REACHABLE"!
3) No shipping insurance or signature confirmation.
This one had me very suspicious. Do you mean to tell me that this necklace valued at almost $40,000 doesn't need any insurance or an acceptance signature? The box was literally, unceremoniously dumped in front of my house's gate by normal USPS mail, and I found it lying there a few hours later.
4) Jewelry/antique online appraiser was obviously doubtful.
When I received the necklace, it was beautiful (and I loved it)! I paid a lot of money for it though, so for some reassurance, I found an online expert who specialized in jewelry and antiques. I paid her a very nominal fee to look at photos of the necklace and she seemed confused... Try as she may, she could not identify any collection that this piece came from. She finally told me that if it were real, it would have to be a custom piece, an individually designed, one-of-a-kind by Dolce & Gabbana (but sounded doubtful, in retrospect). She could not authenticate it, but I wasn't really looking for authentication at that time (just valuation), as I felt good knowing I had the "IGL" appraisal, proving it was genuine. Immediately before buying, I googled "IGL" - this was the exact acronym that the listing used and could clearly see that the company was well known and reputable in the industry. That was very comforting to me (and I never would have considered buying anything if I didn't believe it already had a legitimate appraisal or report). *More on "IGL" in 8-11
5) Quickly offering an additional piece of jewelry that another buyer allegedly hadn't paid for.
Several days after receiving my necklace, the seller contacted me to see if I were interested in buying a Le Vian ruby ring that I hadn't won (stating that the other bidder had failed to pay). I couldn't decide at this point if I felt more suspicious or lucky (I STILL wanted to believe)! What are the odds that another very valuable item sold for so low, yet the purchaser could not find the means to finalize this incredible deal? Coco2be sent me the following message: "I hope this email finds you well. We're reaching out to you, because you were bidding on LE VIAN 14K Gold UNHEATED RUBY Diamond Ring that we had up for auction... Unfortunately, winning buyer aske for a payment extension, but did not fulfilled their payment obligation, so the ring is now available again." And yes, I bought it.
6) Seeing what appeared to be an identical Judith Ripka ring listing that was sold in an auction prior.
After receiving my jewelry (I had purchased the D&G necklace AND the Le Vian ring at this point), I was following coco2be's newest auction items and noticed the same Judith Ripka morganite ring that I had admired and knew had been sold just two weeks or so prior. How unlucky does a seller have to be to have the Le Vian ruby ring (previously mentioned) not paid for and get stuck with the very valuable morganite too? I obviously was the lucky one getting access to all of this bargain fine jewelry? No, I was now very suspicious. This ring had to be a second/duplicate ring (not really possible as it was used/vintage), a return, or never sold in the first place (despite showing it was sold)?
7) Viewed "dollar-noreserve"/"coco2be"s new auction listing for a David Yurman emerald ring - the setting looked practically identical to my Le Vian ruby ring.
This was the moment I knew I didn't trust the seller (and yes, many obvious signs were there way before this point)! These two rings were supposedly made by two completely different designer manufacturers, yet they were nearly identical? I assume that they were likely manufactured by the same place/person or bought from the same wholesaler (too odd of a coincidence for two different, random, vintage, used rings to turn up with the same settings and design)? Here is a photo of the Le Vian ruby ring I bought, with the David Yurman ring listing photo directly below for comparison:
IGL not IGL.
I turned immediately to the appraisal. I cannot emphasize enough that it is likely designed to be INTENTIONALLY FALSE AND MISLEADING! Why did I automatically trust the report just because it looked so official? Also, the seller referenced "IGL". When you Google "IGL" (which I absolutely did), you see that it is a very reputable and esteemed authenticator/appraiser. The name, however, is actually "International Gemological Laboratories", NOT "Independent Gemological Laboratories"! HOW DID I MISS THAT??? When I researched "International Gemological Laboratories", it obviously had no association with the other "IGL" ("Independent Gemological Laboratories"), and a sample report from them looked vastly different than the one I had been provided.
9) Scant online presence for IGL.
When I ran a standard Google search for Independent Gemological Laboratories, I found two Facebook pages. Independent Gemological Laboratories on my appraisal reports showed Los Angeles, California, as the company's address (though I am unsure whether they actually in the building they claim to occupy at 5950 West Jefferson Boulevard), and California's Secretary of State does not show any businesses registered under the name of Independent Gemological Laboratories. I must emphasize that though the name matches perfectly, the logos on the Facebook pages do appear different from the logo printed on coco2be's appraisal report. Is it the same company, just using a different logo (or did someone just hijack Independent Gemological Laboratories' name to use in what appears to be a bogus certificate)?
The first Facebook page is very basic and has 4.9 thousand followers, shows locations in Mumbai, India and New York, and lists that they have expertise in gemstone identification. Most of the public posts I viewed were about celebrating holidays in the country of India. The website referenced for the company on the Facebook page is dia-lab.in; when entered, it says, "This site can't be reached". A second Facebook site (that contains the exact same name and logo) has 225 followers, lists an address in Mumbai, India, and includes the same broken or missing website listed for reference. What I find very odd is that the Independent Gemological Laboratories' font and look is very similar to a company I found called ILabs LLC. The only other search results containing "Independent Gemological Laboratories" I found were the following:
a) A LinkedIn (India) page (that matches the Facebook information provided above) for a business in Mumbai, India, listing a separate website of dia.lab.com - which is a Broken link with no actual website!
b) An unclaimed Yelp review page (no reviews listed) for a business located in New York, not Los Angeles (see sub c).
c) A LinkedIn page for an unnamed individual stating that they are the owner of "Independent Gemological Laboratories" in New York, New York. Strangely, when you click on the website, the company name appears to become just Independent Laboratories and/or ILabs LLC. It appears to me that ILabs LLC might be related to IGL?
I feel strongly that if someone were to continue investigating "IGL", there would be plenty more interesting information to find! I, however, never expected to spend so much time on this project and do not possess the time or energy at the moment to pursue this aspect any further.
Interestingly, I feel compelled to note that coco2be's "IGL" report looked shockingly similar to a report I found for a company named "American International Gemological Laboratories" (which is suspiciously similar to the very reputable, trusted, and well-known "AIG" Gem Labs). "AIGL" is also supposedly located in Los Angeles, California, with incredibly poor ratings and MANY reviews and complaints strongly alleging that they are a scam business! I obviously cannot say with certainty that AIGL reports were simply swapped out for the "IGL" reports, but it looks like some potential "copy and paste" to me:
10) "IGL" appraisal report phone number doesn't work.
When I called Independent Gemological Laboratories business number (listed right on the top of the appraisal in Los Angeles), it says that "the subscriber is unavailable"! Call it and see for yourself: (310) 359-0121!
11) No signature on the appraisal report.
Not only is a signature missing on the report (which is a basic feature on any legitimate appraisal), no name of any kind is given anywhere on the document. This means that the buyer is deprived of knowing the appraiser's credentials (if any) and there is literally no one to verify or be accountable for anything contained in the report (and no way to look up or track anyone involved in potentially generating false information and report(s)).
12) Scam post.
I just could not believe after researching everything (above), that nobody had ever commented, complained, or reported any of these issues anywhere online or under eBay's feedback? Incredibly frustrated, I googled the seller and found this post (dated February 18, 2023), on a completely unrelated website: https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-scam-with-aigl-certificate-appraisal.277450/
"I purchased a several what I thought to be gorgeous natural Colombian emerald rings from the seller on eBay coco2be and after having them submitted to the GIA for testing all 3 came back as synthetic emeralds. I just wanted to warn others as it seems they sell quite a few every month and describe them all as natural earth mined Colombian emeralds with aigl certificated which also state they are natural but they are synthetic! Grown in a lab ! I cannot believe they have gotten away with this for so long. I also purchased a ruby ring from then which was described as a “natural earth mined unheated Burma ruby ring” which at the time I though I was getting an amazing deal / value as the appraisal from aigl is for 48,000 & I won the auction for just under 3000 but the ruby is 100% flawless it does not have any inclusions whatsoever even when I look at it with a microscope so I am starting to heavily doubt it is a natural ruby as well and I will be sending it to my jeweler to take a look at as soon as I get back in town. I am beside myself , how coco2be can stay in business for so long selling fake stones as natural with seemingly no negative reviews on eBay and with fake appraisals to match ! How can aigl write fake appraisals ? Or maybe the original stones in the ring were natural when sent to aigl and then switches before listing on eBay ? It has been quite some time since I purchased these rings and they are no longer protected by eBay’s 30 day guarantee but as soon as I get the ruby ring tested I will be contacting them about a full refund. Here are some photos of what the emeralds look like that they sell". *NOTE: I chose to only include one sample photo from the post; the others can be viewed using the web link provided above.
Additionally, someone else responded to her post on May 21, 2023, writing the following, separate response:
"I also fell into his scam and became a victim of my greed (willing to buy cheap and sell high). I purchased a necklace with "neon green Colombian emerald" for under 4 thousand with AIGL flaky appraisal of 43 thousand. it struck me as soon as I opened the box- it is FAKE!!! I am not a gemologist but the craftsmanship was horrible. The emerald part gold surrounding was bent and crooked and thinner than a condensed milk can metal that I buy all the time. When I confronted coco2be, he became nasty and defensive, advised me not to "try to steal anything" from him, that I don't deserve the piece and his time. Scum of the earth. AIGL is some flaky scam company as well. I contacted ebay and reported the listing as fake. Best regards to you all!"
13) Dollar-noreserve Feedback and jewelry boxes.
I found it so strange initially that among all of this high-end, luxury jewelry, the seller also listed fairly cheap jewelry/ring boxes for sale? It just doesn't "fit". I see now that selling inexpensive jewelry boxes (likely at or near cost), would likely be a good a way to boost ratings as the seller can use the jewelry box sales to receive authentic, verified ratings. The result to an unsuspecting buyer is that it looks as though a lot of positive feedback is likely all for expensive, designer jewelry!
14) I found the exact same jewelry (depicted on the exact same model) listed on different website.
You can tell that I am obviously frustrated (and a bit obsessive) about proving coco2be is likely scamming people on eBay and I want to protect others. I searched some of the auction listing photos and found not only the identical piece of jewelry being sold, but also the same exact model wearing it in the adverting! Below is the "dollar-noreserve" auction for genuine LeVian diamond earrings, and below it, a website selling "Sophia" earrings from "gigiandjoux" selling for just $157.00! (see second photo on page):https://m.en.gigiandjoux.com/product/sofia-earrings/61/?cate_no=24&display_group=1
15) Cartier bracelet listing is missing identification number.
This is also suspicious! Below is a coco2be's listing for a current, Cartier bracelet auction. Below is a photo of the exact same type of Cartier bracelet from the renowned Sotheby's auction house. Sotheby's clearly displays the unique, one-of-a-kind identification number in their photo and coco2be's does not! This is certainly not conclusive, but suspicious.
16) While searching dollar-noreserve's listing photos, I found other oddities.
Here is a current listing photo for a "TIFFANY & CO. Diamond Ring Designer 18K Gold Diamond Eternity Ring Band Wedding": https://www.ebay.com/itm/2048107813...X9M07M&hash=item2fafac8282:g:YvMAAOSwdu1mOZl4
When I searched the Internet for that exact photo, I come up with the following match that is (or was) on a site named "gem.app"? It appears to list second-hand merchandise for sale. I could not find any additional information, but this same ring (with all of the hallmark sparkles and left "banner") is listed as a "Le Vian" (the current auction is for a "Tiffany & co.")??? I wish I could provide an explanation (other than it certainly appears that the same ring, with unknown origins, is being passed off under alternate brands by the same person).
17) Where is all of the jewelry being sold originating from?
I was shocked to learn how easy it is to buy high-end, quality (looking) reproductions online. Look at this copycat VanCleef and Arpels (5 motifs) bracelet on Hoyee's website, selling for just $149: https://hoyee.shop/index.php/product/van-cleef-arpels-vintage-alhambra-bracelet-5-motifs-green/
While this is certainly not the exact piece that coco2be has listed, look how similar the photos are:
I decided to run dollar-noreserve's background artwork through an Internet search; I was surprised that there were very few results (I had assumed it was a generic "stock" photo, but I can't be sure). Oddly, one incredibly close match (see below) was being used on a website that I will not name as I have no proof (only a suspicion) that they may be related to each other. The interesting part is that this website advertises as-follows: "We offer customized and unique jewelry designing ideas, and give it a live through our jewel cad jewelry designing software. Our designers mostly concentrate on designer pieces. They ensure the designs must be approved by the business providers and their customers. Hence, they do their best and provide 100 percent commitment. Our jewellery services are rising day by day for the reputed designers." So if I am understanding correctly, they specialize in CAD, 3-D custom replicas. Is this just a coincidence?
1 THE "SMOKING GUN"?
I stumbled upon this website online: https://mgyax.otherflash.shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23909, and found the same exact photo and appraisal as dollar-noreserve/coco2be's LeVian aquamarine earrings advertisement!!! Ladies and gentleman, you can buy these luxurious, "designer" earrings online right now for just $39!!! Here are the photos from this website (the name appears to be the "Quanrun Store")?
And here is coco2be's listing photos from: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2048107837...DYWNCS&hash=item2fafac8bfd:g:Az8AAOSwxSRmOUWK
19) Concerns about other products/listings.
When I searched to see if other items advertised "IGL" appraisals, I easily found two in the first few minutes (some of the other led to appraisals labeled "IGL" but represented other appraisal services - it's a flexible acronym)! I have both of the listing's information and am happy to provide them to eBay or any legitimately interested party, but have decided not to include it here because I think there is a possibility that it is just an innocent, unsuspecting seller. Here are the photos from what I easily found on two, separate, current auctions (it leads you to wonder how much jewelry is related to either false or suspicious/concerning "IGL" appraisal reports):
Lastly,I am relieved to report that I have returned both of my dollar-noreserve items and have received one of two refunds (it appears my necklace has not arrived back to the seller quite yet). I am incredibly thankful for eBay and confident that they will protect me and I will be reimbursed on both purchases. I will never purchase fine jewelry without using a third-party authenticator again. I hope this information helps others!!!
NOTE: My many photos (most of my proof, wouldn't copy over). I will come back and manually insert so others can be properly warned).
1) "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is..."
I couldn't believe the quality and prices I was seeing. I am a jewelry novice and fairly new to e-bay, but I could not believe the deals from the "dollar-noreserve" store. The items were listed as used/pre-worn though, and I knew enough to realize that insurance appraisals often come in artificially high, so I chose to ignore the first red flag and considered myself just lucky to have stumbled upon these items (even though the items were selling for a fraction of their probable value). Honestly, this ALONE should have stopped me!
2) No Ebay certification process.
I found it very strange when I realized that this very expensive jewelry would not go through eBay's normal 3rd party verification system. When I purchased jewelry before, I found comfort in the fact that someone was verifying the authenticity of the listing. Then again, each piece of jewelry already had an appraisal. I guess I also assumed that an eBay "top seller" with a 100% feedback rating (who exclusively deals in fine jewelry), had to be legitimate.
3) Dollar-no-reserve has no separate online presence or storefront.
I tried to look up the seller/store to see if I could find another website or physical storefront (for more information and to view possible, additional merchandise). I could not find one. This was odd. How do they advertise or solicit jewelry consigners/sellers to get pieces to list in the first place? My thought was that they must sell exclusively on eBay. They also advertise that they are a "3rd generation family-owned and operated jewelry business", so maybe they had/have contacts from a long history of prior business? Right before I finished writing this post, I did stumble across a separate website: dollarnoreserve.com. It is not much help though as it links directly to the eBay page in every way, so the only new/different information provided was a phone number: (206) 592-7916 and an address of: 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware 19713. It doesn't appear that dollar-noreserve actually offices there, but the building does advertise "virtual offices" for rent. Guess what happens when you call the number? An immediate message stating, "THE NUMBER IS NOT REACHABLE"!
3) No shipping insurance or signature confirmation.
This one had me very suspicious. Do you mean to tell me that this necklace valued at almost $40,000 doesn't need any insurance or an acceptance signature? The box was literally, unceremoniously dumped in front of my house's gate by normal USPS mail, and I found it lying there a few hours later.
4) Jewelry/antique online appraiser was obviously doubtful.
When I received the necklace, it was beautiful (and I loved it)! I paid a lot of money for it though, so for some reassurance, I found an online expert who specialized in jewelry and antiques. I paid her a very nominal fee to look at photos of the necklace and she seemed confused... Try as she may, she could not identify any collection that this piece came from. She finally told me that if it were real, it would have to be a custom piece, an individually designed, one-of-a-kind by Dolce & Gabbana (but sounded doubtful, in retrospect). She could not authenticate it, but I wasn't really looking for authentication at that time (just valuation), as I felt good knowing I had the "IGL" appraisal, proving it was genuine. Immediately before buying, I googled "IGL" - this was the exact acronym that the listing used and could clearly see that the company was well known and reputable in the industry. That was very comforting to me (and I never would have considered buying anything if I didn't believe it already had a legitimate appraisal or report). *More on "IGL" in 8-11
5) Quickly offering an additional piece of jewelry that another buyer allegedly hadn't paid for.
Several days after receiving my necklace, the seller contacted me to see if I were interested in buying a Le Vian ruby ring that I hadn't won (stating that the other bidder had failed to pay). I couldn't decide at this point if I felt more suspicious or lucky (I STILL wanted to believe)! What are the odds that another very valuable item sold for so low, yet the purchaser could not find the means to finalize this incredible deal? Coco2be sent me the following message: "I hope this email finds you well. We're reaching out to you, because you were bidding on LE VIAN 14K Gold UNHEATED RUBY Diamond Ring that we had up for auction... Unfortunately, winning buyer aske for a payment extension, but did not fulfilled their payment obligation, so the ring is now available again." And yes, I bought it.
6) Seeing what appeared to be an identical Judith Ripka ring listing that was sold in an auction prior.
After receiving my jewelry (I had purchased the D&G necklace AND the Le Vian ring at this point), I was following coco2be's newest auction items and noticed the same Judith Ripka morganite ring that I had admired and knew had been sold just two weeks or so prior. How unlucky does a seller have to be to have the Le Vian ruby ring (previously mentioned) not paid for and get stuck with the very valuable morganite too? I obviously was the lucky one getting access to all of this bargain fine jewelry? No, I was now very suspicious. This ring had to be a second/duplicate ring (not really possible as it was used/vintage), a return, or never sold in the first place (despite showing it was sold)?
7) Viewed "dollar-noreserve"/"coco2be"s new auction listing for a David Yurman emerald ring - the setting looked practically identical to my Le Vian ruby ring.
This was the moment I knew I didn't trust the seller (and yes, many obvious signs were there way before this point)! These two rings were supposedly made by two completely different designer manufacturers, yet they were nearly identical? I assume that they were likely manufactured by the same place/person or bought from the same wholesaler (too odd of a coincidence for two different, random, vintage, used rings to turn up with the same settings and design)? Here is a photo of the Le Vian ruby ring I bought, with the David Yurman ring listing photo directly below for comparison:
IGL not IGL.I turned immediately to the appraisal. I cannot emphasize enough that it is likely designed to be INTENTIONALLY FALSE AND MISLEADING! Why did I automatically trust the report just because it looked so official? Also, the seller referenced "IGL". When you Google "IGL" (which I absolutely did), you see that it is a very reputable and esteemed authenticator/appraiser. The name, however, is actually "International Gemological Laboratories", NOT "Independent Gemological Laboratories"! HOW DID I MISS THAT??? When I researched "International Gemological Laboratories", it obviously had no association with the other "IGL" ("Independent Gemological Laboratories"), and a sample report from them looked vastly different than the one I had been provided.
9) Scant online presence for IGL.
When I ran a standard Google search for Independent Gemological Laboratories, I found two Facebook pages. Independent Gemological Laboratories on my appraisal reports showed Los Angeles, California, as the company's address (though I am unsure whether they actually in the building they claim to occupy at 5950 West Jefferson Boulevard), and California's Secretary of State does not show any businesses registered under the name of Independent Gemological Laboratories. I must emphasize that though the name matches perfectly, the logos on the Facebook pages do appear different from the logo printed on coco2be's appraisal report. Is it the same company, just using a different logo (or did someone just hijack Independent Gemological Laboratories' name to use in what appears to be a bogus certificate)?
The first Facebook page is very basic and has 4.9 thousand followers, shows locations in Mumbai, India and New York, and lists that they have expertise in gemstone identification. Most of the public posts I viewed were about celebrating holidays in the country of India. The website referenced for the company on the Facebook page is dia-lab.in; when entered, it says, "This site can't be reached". A second Facebook site (that contains the exact same name and logo) has 225 followers, lists an address in Mumbai, India, and includes the same broken or missing website listed for reference. What I find very odd is that the Independent Gemological Laboratories' font and look is very similar to a company I found called ILabs LLC. The only other search results containing "Independent Gemological Laboratories" I found were the following:
a) A LinkedIn (India) page (that matches the Facebook information provided above) for a business in Mumbai, India, listing a separate website of dia.lab.com - which is a Broken link with no actual website!
b) An unclaimed Yelp review page (no reviews listed) for a business located in New York, not Los Angeles (see sub c).
c) A LinkedIn page for an unnamed individual stating that they are the owner of "Independent Gemological Laboratories" in New York, New York. Strangely, when you click on the website, the company name appears to become just Independent Laboratories and/or ILabs LLC. It appears to me that ILabs LLC might be related to IGL?
I feel strongly that if someone were to continue investigating "IGL", there would be plenty more interesting information to find! I, however, never expected to spend so much time on this project and do not possess the time or energy at the moment to pursue this aspect any further.
Interestingly, I feel compelled to note that coco2be's "IGL" report looked shockingly similar to a report I found for a company named "American International Gemological Laboratories" (which is suspiciously similar to the very reputable, trusted, and well-known "AIG" Gem Labs). "AIGL" is also supposedly located in Los Angeles, California, with incredibly poor ratings and MANY reviews and complaints strongly alleging that they are a scam business! I obviously cannot say with certainty that AIGL reports were simply swapped out for the "IGL" reports, but it looks like some potential "copy and paste" to me:
10) "IGL" appraisal report phone number doesn't work.
When I called Independent Gemological Laboratories business number (listed right on the top of the appraisal in Los Angeles), it says that "the subscriber is unavailable"! Call it and see for yourself: (310) 359-0121!
11) No signature on the appraisal report.
Not only is a signature missing on the report (which is a basic feature on any legitimate appraisal), no name of any kind is given anywhere on the document. This means that the buyer is deprived of knowing the appraiser's credentials (if any) and there is literally no one to verify or be accountable for anything contained in the report (and no way to look up or track anyone involved in potentially generating false information and report(s)).
12) Scam post.
I just could not believe after researching everything (above), that nobody had ever commented, complained, or reported any of these issues anywhere online or under eBay's feedback? Incredibly frustrated, I googled the seller and found this post (dated February 18, 2023), on a completely unrelated website: https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-scam-with-aigl-certificate-appraisal.277450/
"I purchased a several what I thought to be gorgeous natural Colombian emerald rings from the seller on eBay coco2be and after having them submitted to the GIA for testing all 3 came back as synthetic emeralds. I just wanted to warn others as it seems they sell quite a few every month and describe them all as natural earth mined Colombian emeralds with aigl certificated which also state they are natural but they are synthetic! Grown in a lab ! I cannot believe they have gotten away with this for so long. I also purchased a ruby ring from then which was described as a “natural earth mined unheated Burma ruby ring” which at the time I though I was getting an amazing deal / value as the appraisal from aigl is for 48,000 & I won the auction for just under 3000 but the ruby is 100% flawless it does not have any inclusions whatsoever even when I look at it with a microscope so I am starting to heavily doubt it is a natural ruby as well and I will be sending it to my jeweler to take a look at as soon as I get back in town. I am beside myself , how coco2be can stay in business for so long selling fake stones as natural with seemingly no negative reviews on eBay and with fake appraisals to match ! How can aigl write fake appraisals ? Or maybe the original stones in the ring were natural when sent to aigl and then switches before listing on eBay ? It has been quite some time since I purchased these rings and they are no longer protected by eBay’s 30 day guarantee but as soon as I get the ruby ring tested I will be contacting them about a full refund. Here are some photos of what the emeralds look like that they sell". *NOTE: I chose to only include one sample photo from the post; the others can be viewed using the web link provided above.
Additionally, someone else responded to her post on May 21, 2023, writing the following, separate response:
"I also fell into his scam and became a victim of my greed (willing to buy cheap and sell high). I purchased a necklace with "neon green Colombian emerald" for under 4 thousand with AIGL flaky appraisal of 43 thousand. it struck me as soon as I opened the box- it is FAKE!!! I am not a gemologist but the craftsmanship was horrible. The emerald part gold surrounding was bent and crooked and thinner than a condensed milk can metal that I buy all the time. When I confronted coco2be, he became nasty and defensive, advised me not to "try to steal anything" from him, that I don't deserve the piece and his time. Scum of the earth. AIGL is some flaky scam company as well. I contacted ebay and reported the listing as fake. Best regards to you all!"
13) Dollar-noreserve Feedback and jewelry boxes.
I found it so strange initially that among all of this high-end, luxury jewelry, the seller also listed fairly cheap jewelry/ring boxes for sale? It just doesn't "fit". I see now that selling inexpensive jewelry boxes (likely at or near cost), would likely be a good a way to boost ratings as the seller can use the jewelry box sales to receive authentic, verified ratings. The result to an unsuspecting buyer is that it looks as though a lot of positive feedback is likely all for expensive, designer jewelry!
14) I found the exact same jewelry (depicted on the exact same model) listed on different website.
You can tell that I am obviously frustrated (and a bit obsessive) about proving coco2be is likely scamming people on eBay and I want to protect others. I searched some of the auction listing photos and found not only the identical piece of jewelry being sold, but also the same exact model wearing it in the adverting! Below is the "dollar-noreserve" auction for genuine LeVian diamond earrings, and below it, a website selling "Sophia" earrings from "gigiandjoux" selling for just $157.00! (see second photo on page):https://m.en.gigiandjoux.com/product/sofia-earrings/61/?cate_no=24&display_group=1
15) Cartier bracelet listing is missing identification number.
This is also suspicious! Below is a coco2be's listing for a current, Cartier bracelet auction. Below is a photo of the exact same type of Cartier bracelet from the renowned Sotheby's auction house. Sotheby's clearly displays the unique, one-of-a-kind identification number in their photo and coco2be's does not! This is certainly not conclusive, but suspicious.
16) While searching dollar-noreserve's listing photos, I found other oddities.
Here is a current listing photo for a "TIFFANY & CO. Diamond Ring Designer 18K Gold Diamond Eternity Ring Band Wedding": https://www.ebay.com/itm/2048107813...X9M07M&hash=item2fafac8282:g:YvMAAOSwdu1mOZl4
When I searched the Internet for that exact photo, I come up with the following match that is (or was) on a site named "gem.app"? It appears to list second-hand merchandise for sale. I could not find any additional information, but this same ring (with all of the hallmark sparkles and left "banner") is listed as a "Le Vian" (the current auction is for a "Tiffany & co.")??? I wish I could provide an explanation (other than it certainly appears that the same ring, with unknown origins, is being passed off under alternate brands by the same person).
17) Where is all of the jewelry being sold originating from?
I was shocked to learn how easy it is to buy high-end, quality (looking) reproductions online. Look at this copycat VanCleef and Arpels (5 motifs) bracelet on Hoyee's website, selling for just $149: https://hoyee.shop/index.php/product/van-cleef-arpels-vintage-alhambra-bracelet-5-motifs-green/
While this is certainly not the exact piece that coco2be has listed, look how similar the photos are:
I decided to run dollar-noreserve's background artwork through an Internet search; I was surprised that there were very few results (I had assumed it was a generic "stock" photo, but I can't be sure). Oddly, one incredibly close match (see below) was being used on a website that I will not name as I have no proof (only a suspicion) that they may be related to each other. The interesting part is that this website advertises as-follows: "We offer customized and unique jewelry designing ideas, and give it a live through our jewel cad jewelry designing software. Our designers mostly concentrate on designer pieces. They ensure the designs must be approved by the business providers and their customers. Hence, they do their best and provide 100 percent commitment. Our jewellery services are rising day by day for the reputed designers." So if I am understanding correctly, they specialize in CAD, 3-D custom replicas. Is this just a coincidence?
1
THE "SMOKING GUN"? I stumbled upon this website online: https://mgyax.otherflash.shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23909, and found the same exact photo and appraisal as dollar-noreserve/coco2be's LeVian aquamarine earrings advertisement!!! Ladies and gentleman, you can buy these luxurious, "designer" earrings online right now for just $39!!! Here are the photos from this website (the name appears to be the "Quanrun Store")?
And here is coco2be's listing photos from: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2048107837...DYWNCS&hash=item2fafac8bfd:g:Az8AAOSwxSRmOUWK
19) Concerns about other products/listings.
When I searched to see if other items advertised "IGL" appraisals, I easily found two in the first few minutes (some of the other led to appraisals labeled "IGL" but represented other appraisal services - it's a flexible acronym)! I have both of the listing's information and am happy to provide them to eBay or any legitimately interested party, but have decided not to include it here because I think there is a possibility that it is just an innocent, unsuspecting seller. Here are the photos from what I easily found on two, separate, current auctions (it leads you to wonder how much jewelry is related to either false or suspicious/concerning "IGL" appraisal reports):
Lastly,I am relieved to report that I have returned both of my dollar-noreserve items and have received one of two refunds (it appears my necklace has not arrived back to the seller quite yet). I am incredibly thankful for eBay and confident that they will protect me and I will be reimbursed on both purchases. I will never purchase fine jewelry without using a third-party authenticator again. I hope this information helps others!!!
NOTE: My many photos (most of my proof, wouldn't copy over). I will come back and manually insert so others can be properly warned).
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