The Akalabeth Scammer is at it again. (Update: Auction taken down)
AkalaUpdate: It seems this auction is no longer available. It as either been taken down by Ebay or removed by the original seller.
Original Post: Courtesy of chock1_in1 over at Ebay, we have his newest scam, a digital reproduction of the artwork for the cover of 2400 A.D. by Origin Systems. I was recently in contact with our good friend Joe Garrity over at the Origin Museum, who is in possession of the original painting, and he confirms this image is a copy of his scan of the original artwork.
A pity Ebay allows this seller to continue operating, since he has already made close to $10,000 off the backs of unsuspecting customers.
I gotta say… I’m impressed with him this time. Trying to sell a JPEG for $1000. No bullshit or anything. He’s simply saying “Here’s a JPEG file of a photo someone took. Pay me $1000!”.
And the sad thing is… someone will probably be stupid enough to pay for it.
This is why we can’t have nice things.
reported
Looks like the item has been removed from eBay. Not sure if the seller himself has taken it down or if eBay nixed the auction.
This sounds like someone that contacted me recently about an ad I posted in Craigslist. It is probably the same guy! This was his email he sent to me…
“Are you a serious Orgin collector or just looking for a bargain.
How big of a budget do you have available for RARE Origin material.
I’m talking; Entire Origin Newsletters Vol.1 No.1 1991 – Vol.8 No.2 1998 all in PDF format.
Works of Concept art for maps, manuals, box-art without logos or lettering all in Hi-Res JPEG format.
Titles such as 2400 AD, Times of Lore, Ring Quest, Ultima 7 Serpent Isle, Ultima Underworld I & II.
An Original, Un-released/Un-programmed; concept package cassette version of AKALABETH 1980 by
Richard Garriott & California Pacific Computer Company.
Logos/PICS/+More…”
He was asking $10,000 for everything, and stated he found the Akalabeth at a Flea Market in the mid west in the mid 90s. It is probably the same guy! I do have his email address if anyone wanted it, haha, if it is legit. I am in MASS, so I have no idea where he is. I did not believe him, and said no, and I never heard back from him.
This was his follow-up email to my response of what exactly he had, and where he had the Akalabeth. And I apologize, it was not the mid-west, but CA, for the Akalabeth, haha. Bit sketchy if you ask me.
“I’m a fan, now selling.
Copy of Akalabeth found among other random software & games with Apple IIGS system bought at Military-Surplus Flea-Market 1994, Orange CA.
Newsletters & concept art are ALL Original Hi-ReS pdf / jpeg Digital Art of Original Artworks used to develop actual game items, box-art & more.
We can review & agree on prices 1 image at a time, but when all is said and done after days/weeks of buying, your gonna find you were interested in
everything & bought it all at a higher price than just a one-time transaction.
Besides; I’m trying to find a one-time buyer for entire collection NOT a partial sell. I’m sure you can appreciate the Rarity of the Digital Art, like the one
I attached of Savage Empire; which by the way, I’ve asked others who priced it at $175. The only thing priced higher than the images of the Artwork
is the Artwork itself; most of which was designed by Artists in acrylic paints on bristol board and these are not for sale only owned by the artists or
rumored to be in EA Game archives, as I’ve read about online.
I’ll begin by pricing the entire LOT including the Xtremely Ultra-Rare Akalabeth concept cassette at what surely any Ultima fan or collector would say a
collection like this would be worth; say $10,000.
If you agree then you’re the buyer; otherwise, reply with a Near Best Offer and then I’ll know if I’m in contact with a serious fan.
However, any low priced offer will only discourage any future contact & my search for the right buyer will continue.
Still interested?”
After that second email he sent me, I said no, then I never heard back from him. Re-reading my posts, I may be a bit confusing, haha.
I still can’t get over the idea of someone trying to peddle their old JPGs in an auction.
“Yeah, the wife said she’s tired of our hard drive being all cluttered up, so I gotta haul out some of these old JPGs and try to get a couple of bucks out of ’em…”
Yup, all items taken from the Origin Museum website. It’s the same guy. I wish you had gotten his name, address, and contact information.
I wish I had gotten his info, but the way it sounds, I doubt if He would have given it to me anyways unless I agreed to buy all of that stuff. The only thing I have is his email, which is at least a start, but I have no way of going through that to get his info.
He’s probably not in the U.S. considering how horrible his English is, which is a shame. How fun would it be to set this guy up for a serious anonymous ass-beating? Sigh…
I thought someone had tracked him down to Houston or thereabouts…
What, get Anonymous to dox his arse?
While that would be cool too, I meant dressing up like ninjas and physically beating his ass until he cried Ultima.