A Good Example Of How Doing Even Some Basic Research Can Help Save Being Burned

[hucks216]

This Tank Destruction Badge citation is currently listed on Militaria 321 with a reserve. The citation is dated for May 1942 and the stamp has the words 20-Waffen-Grenadier-Division on it - however just a simple basic internet search reveals that the 20-Waffen-Grenadier-Division didn't come into being until late 1944, the unit being a Legion, Brigade or had a different Division naming status from October 1942 onwards. Not only that but the Feldpost Nr has just 4 digits instead of the required 5.

This is a good example to illustrate just how important it is to do some even basic background research to prevent being burned. Unfortunately at the time of typing this there are currently 5 bids listed for it and although the lastest one hasn't broken the reserve if a bid does then someone is going to wind up paying out a fair bit of money for a worthless piece of paper.

[CARL]

Nicely elucidated, and well worthy of note.

Regards,

Carl

[Adrian Stevenson]

Sound advice.

Cheers, Ade.

[Walkwolf]

Makes you wonder how many others similar to this are out there.........!

[hucks216]

Makes you wonder how many others similar to this are out there.........!

There are literally oodles of fake citations 'out there' (especialy SS ones) and while thankfully for the most part they have something wrong about them that gives them away after a basic search or gives people that gut feeling that something is wrong, I did see an EK one very recently that was a very good effort by the faker and had a signature that was a very good match for a known SS officer but the give-away was that the officer in queston never rose to beyond commanding a Flak Abteilung and the signature was on the EK citation as Divisional Commander and the stamp was for a regiment, not the division (or higher).

[MD Helmets]

Documents are starting to scare the crap outta me.

[sandgroper]

Great advice mate, thanks!

[hucks216]

Documents are starting to scare the crap outta me.

When you consider just how much easier it is to fake a document than a medal - even one that is an obvious fake to the uninitiated - it isn't surprising that there are more and more fakes appearing. All they need is a bit of paper, a printer or typewriter and away they go - certainly easier (and probably quicker) than getting metal and the relevant dies. And when it comes to such things as a soldbuch or wehrpass all it takes is a pen to add an extra award or two or a desireable unit.

[hucks216]

Well, with 3 hours left on the auction the reserve has been broken and the current bid is at 220 Euros! If the winning bidder decides to post his latest acquisition on a forum they will be in for an unpleasant surprise when opinions are given.

[TrondK]

The most scary part must be that these scammers are learning from their errors, and next time they produce some papers or whatever,- they will improve.