CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme is as real as they come when you talk with him in the locker room. On the internet, Jake is often a fake.
Counterfeit sports memorabilia is big business these days and the economy is partly to blame.
Sports memorabilia stores are closing in cities across the country. "In the late 80's and early 90's, there were upwards of 5,000 shops. But these days, best estimates are probably around a thousand shops,"said Tom Farrell, Vice President of Brand Management for Press Pass. Press Pass is a Charlotte-based memorabilia company that contracts with the NFL, NBA, MLB and NASCAR.
Many legitimate sports memorabilia dealers have opened stores online, but they're in competition with counterfeiters trying to make a quick buck. Depending on whom you talk with, 40 to 80 percent of the signed sports memorabilia is counterfeit.
Jake Delhomme says he'll sign an autograph for anybody. "Honestly, if people ask me to sign something, sure I'll it. I mean that's, somebody wants my autograph, two seconds, it doesn't take much to hurry up and sign it."
When the I-Team showed Delhomme 29 randomly-selected pieces of his "signed" memorabilia, more than 50-percent of it was either forged or so sloppy he couldn't tell. "This doesn't look real at all. I know I didn't do that. The K and the E are not close and the A, I don't know. I don't know what that is. You know what I mean? And you know, I don't make sevens like that," said Delhomme.
Tommy John hasn't played Major League Baseball for 20 years. But the four-time All Star has hundreds of pieces of so-called "signed" memorabilia on E-Bay. "I have no idea how to get on E-Bay," said John.
When the I-Team showed John randomly-selected, "signed" memorabilia for sale online, almost half of it was forged. John says there are telltale signs that prove his signature is being faked. "The way I make my M's and my Y." The retired pitcher concedes there is little he can do about it. "As an athlete, you have no control over it."
In the ring, Charlotte's Ric Flair was in control. Online, the pro wrestler has virtually no control over who is selling forged merchandise.
Flair says he remembers what he signs. The I-Team showed him memorabilia with his signature. "That's not real. That's not mine."
Much of the memorabilia comes with so-called "Certificates of Authenticity". The seller of one piece of Ric Flair memorabilia told the I-Team that he made the COA himself. "It is from me because I am the one who got it signed in the Birmingham airport." wrote the seller. Flair responded, "I just don't think it's mine. I don't remember signing it. And I always put 'WWE 16X, #1" and I always dot both the I's."
Tom Farrell cautions, "Anybody with a decent printer can print the word 'Certificate of Authenticity' and come up with something."
Farrell recommends being cautious if the price of memorabilia is unusually low. "If you're out there shopping and you're looking for an autographed helmet by Dan Marino and you see on for 59 dollars, you know what, let the buyer beware. The old saying, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
If you can't get an autograph in person, Farrell suggests checking out the online auction sites run by the professional sports leagues.
