Ok...whats the deal with index cards?

[james5348]

back in 2006 i went to the rays fan fest and i brought index cards with me along with balls/bats/etc. never thought about the identity thing myself. but come to think of it. evan longoria was very hesitant to sign a couple index cards for me and actually asked seth mclung if he is allowed to sign them.

 

[cardinals0103]

What about these athletes signing stickers for card companies? Sometimes, the stickers are 100% transparent or silver background. Not too hard to peel one off and you would practically have something along the lines of an index card (clear background behind photo)

 

[predatorkj]

I had a similar experience at a Packer game last fall. Former WR Robert Brooks was there signing free autos before the game and since I didn't know he was going to be there, I didn't have anything with me to have signed. In the past I've had a couple of players sign the back of one of my business cards (I pretty much always have a few of them on me) but when I got to the table, he declined to sign it. I showed him that it was my card with my name on the other side and told him I had no plans to resell it but he still politely refused saying that he doesn't sign anything plain white. I ended up having him sign the brim of my cap but was a bit disappointed he wouldn't sign the card. I never even thought about the identity theft angle to be honest.

That blows.I just don't see how you can steal someone's entire identity from their signature.It would stand to reason you'd have to have a little more info than that.

It's not so much just a signature. The other stuff is easier to come by. The sig is the big missing piece.

I suppose you could come by some of the other info but not likely all of it.I guess you could get far enough with it though to cause a problem.


I guess I am just getting burnt out.You are always hopping from one foot to the other trying to appease the athlete or coach and hoping they will give you a good auto without messing it up somehow because they are afraid you are going to sell it.I may just start by telling the person before I hand them anything that I am a collector and not going to sell anything.That's not much but maybe they will be a little more at ease about it.This stuff is getting to where nobody wants to sign because of dealers and the bad thing is...the dealers charge so dang much I can't imagine they sell much of the autos they do get.After a while the whole process makes you wonder why you are even worried about getting autos at all.I like them and they do look neat.Especially if you get a bunch but its not worth a million headaches and all the travel if it can't be fun and you can't get what you want.

Plus I suppose my whole attitude is wrong.I have always been one of those people where if you are willing to do something for me then at least do it right.If not then just don't bother.I am not that way about all things but I am about some.If you make an honest mistake that is totally cool.I have no problem with that at all.People have lives and they have things on their minds and things to do constantly.So I would never get upset by that.And its why I don't ask people to do a lot for me.But it always seems when I try to set out to do things for people(for the most apart) that I know that are important to them I try my best(like I would for myself) to do them.Sure I make mistakes but if I bother trying to do something for someone I try to put the same effort into it as I would for myself.Some people just are not that way.And in that case ,a half assed attempt is worthless.If you don't try to do something with the thought in mind you will give your best effort then you are most likely causing more of a problem than you would be not doing it at all.

 

[Card Magnet]

predator, if I were a criminal...I would share how you can commit identity theft with an index card :lol: . But of course I'm not, so all I know is that there's some kind of enforced teaching/thinking that says index cards can be used for it.

It's very sad because it messes with the fun of the auto collecting hobby. I've never actually heard of this occurring, but always hear about the athletes/celebs worrying about it.

 

[MaineMule]

I collect signed index cards, primarily of HOFers, but do send some TTM to other players. I have had mixed results with index cards with players who normally have a decent return rate. I do indicate in my letters the reasons I like signed index cards- clarity and simplicity of signature on such an item, but some just are reluctant to sign them.

Bobby Bonilla for instance returned my blank index card in my envelope unsigned with no explanation. Comes with the territory I guess.

Wonder why they could not sign the lined side, which would be harder to "monkey with??

 

[Billy Packer]

Like I said before, when I had my experience with this with Robert Brooks, I didn't even consider "identity theft" as the term is commonly used as a reason and I think the term may be getting miscast a little in this context. I just assumed it was to prevent the spread of forged signatures. I use a rubber stamp with my signature for some things at my job and to have that created, I did just what we're talking about - signed my signature on a small white card which was then converted into the stamp. With the proliferation of forged crap out there in the world , I can see why they wouldn't want to make it any easier for the someone to do that.

And even though there are some people that actually collect the index cards themselves, signing an actual "thing" vs. a plain card that could be used as a component item in something else gives them a little more control over how their signature is being used. As has been said before, someone that really has a mind to could probably manipulate a signature from a signed poster or promotional item just as well as plain index card, but I don't fault athletes or celebs from wanting to be a little selective about what they sign.

 

[Musial Collector]

No one has still answered my question from page one. Here is a thought you want to steal my identity get my SS number that is far worse than my signature. No one here or at the grocery store or at target or wherever knows what my signature looks like. So get my SS number apply for a CC get it sent to an address of your choice sign it however you want an bam you have stolen it. My signature has NOTHING to do with it.

 

[Musial Collector]

Btw the above is just one example as there hundreds of other ways to do it. I still will never believe you can do it by signature alone.

 

[autocut]

I'm still wondering how it could be identity theft if your autograph is different from your normal signature. For example, I closed on a house and in one of the papers, I had to sign ALL the ways I normally sign paperwork, so if I sign anything for that bank, it has to match one of those signatures (or they won't accept it as a legit signature).

 

[Billy Packer]

No one has still answered my question from page one. Here is a thought you want to steal my identity get my SS number that is far worse than my signature. No one here or at the grocery store or at target or wherever knows what my signature looks like. So get my SS number apply for a CC get it sent to an address of your choice sign it however you want an bam you have stolen it. My signature has NOTHING to do with it.

That was kind of the point of my last post - I think people are using the term "identity theft" incorrectly when in fact they probably mean and should be saying "forgery." The whole idea makes a lot more sense in this context.

 

[Musial Collector]

[quote="Musial Collector":1f75otnu]No one has still answered my question from page one. Here is a thought you want to steal my identity get my SS number that is far worse than my signature. No one here or at the grocery store or at target or wherever knows what my signature looks like. So get my SS number apply for a CC get it sent to an address of your choice sign it however you want an bam you have stolen it. My signature has NOTHING to do with it.

That was kind of the point of my last post - I think people are using the term "identity theft" incorrectly when in fact they probably mean and should be saying "forgery." The whole idea makes a lot more sense in this context.[/quote:1f75otnu]

I agree with your statement 100%

 

[Craig - 21hawk]

[quote="Billy Packer":kdb2gwxn][quote="Musial Collector":kdb2gwxn]No one has still answered my question from page one. Here is a thought you want to steal my identity get my SS number that is far worse than my signature. No one here or at the grocery store or at target or wherever knows what my signature looks like. So get my SS number apply for a CC get it sent to an address of your choice sign it however you want an bam you have stolen it. My signature has NOTHING to do with it.

That was kind of the point of my last post - I think people are using the term "identity theft" incorrectly when in fact they probably mean and should be saying "forgery." The whole idea makes a lot more sense in this context.[/quote:kdb2gwxn]

I agree with your statement 100%[/quote:kdb2gwxn]

When I say "identity theft" I'm just reporting what Glen Perkins said for the reason he won't sign them.

Craig

 

[cgilmo]

I know Tim Beckham won't sign index cards because he does not want other companies to cut them up and use them in their products.

 

[gvsu96]

Real interesting thread. My son has an autograph type book (sketch book) that we bought him when we went to see the Rams training camp last year. None of the players had a problem signing it at all. The cool thing was at least they signed real big. All where signed in black Sharpie if that makes a difference.


Josh

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

Once we start using biometrics in society, none of this will be an issue.

 

[predatorkj]

I know Tim Beckham won't sign index cards because he does not want other companies to cut them up and use them in their products.

Hasn't that already happened?

 

[thehamiltonian]

In Josh Hamilton's book, he said people were sending him index cards when he was in high school, and the hype was big. Between his family and advisors, they decided not to sign them because there was no guarantee what that autograph might end up on.

I suppose you could affix a signed blank or IC to a photo the player wouldn't normally sign, or something similarly unflattering, possibly a contract, etc. Just covering one's ass.

 

[nborton]

Once we start using biometrics in society, none of this will be an issue.

Were you the one that brought up the regrowing of a hand in the Manny thread? Both of these made me laugh. Not because it's not in the possible future, but it's just funny thinking about it in the present. Good stuff. :lol:

 

[jeremy]

Once we start using biometrics in society, none of this will be an issue.

Were you the one that brought up the regrowing of a hand in the Manny thread? Both of these made me laugh. Not because it's not in the possible future, but it's just funny thinking about it in the present. Good stuff. :lol:

one time this dude cut this other dudes hand off, so they just put a robotic hand on there, it looked the same. then turns out it was his dad who did it i was all like omgfroloflocopter

 

[nborton]

Once we start using biometrics in society, none of this will be an issue.

Were you the one that brought up the regrowing of a hand in the Manny thread? Both of these made me laugh. Not because it's not in the possible future, but it's just funny thinking about it in the present. Good stuff. :lol:

one time this dude cut this other dudes hand off, so they just put a robotic hand on there, it looked the same. then turns out it was his dad who did it i was all like omgfroloflocopter

Even better. :lol: