Pinfinder sent me SCRAPPERS!!!

[pixiewings71]

So I ordered from pinfinder last week because they had the 50 pin grab bags for like $1.66 a pin! I was very excited as others here have raved about them.....we got home from our DL weekend yesterday and the pins were delivered already, got inside and opened them up and they are almost all scrappers!!!!! I got 1 really nice Imagineering pin that I need to do some more research on but I'm pretty sure it's real, I got about 10 LE 500s and I'm pretty sure they are all scrappers, most of the hidden mickeys are scrappers and one of the pins was BROKEN when it arrived! I'm very upset, has anyone else had this happen? If so what did you do? I love paying $1.66 a pin but I hate getting fakes!!!!!

 

[waughzee]

How can you tell they are fakes?

 

[wall*e2008]

What is a scrapper?

 

[Todd&Copper]

I thought maybe this had to do with scrapbooking. Or scrapple. Neither of which I like, so I do not know why I opened this thread.

Maybe you should try on the pin trading board? Do you think they can help you there?

 

[secretpantssam]

The nerd I am I looked it up. From Wikipedia (for all us non-pin people):

"Scrapper - An unauthorized Disney pin. These pins are literally scrap pins. Sometimes they are seconds from the factory runs, or sometimes they have errors in color, design, or the imprint on the back. Scrappers can also be the result of extra unauthorized production runs. These pins often make it onto the secondary market where they are sold, often in lots, at much lower than market price. Scrapper pins can then be traded with cast members, as cast members do not decline a trade based on suspected scrapper status. Recent Hidden Mickey pins, DLR pins especially, have flooded the market months before their initial introductions."

Also, pixie I'm sorry to hear they ripped you off.

 

[kimsuenew]

So I ordered from pinfinder last week because they had the 50 pin grab bags for like $1.66 a pin! I was very excited as others here have raved about them.....we got home from our DL weekend yesterday and the pins were delivered already, got inside and opened them up and they are almost all scrappers!!!!! I got 1 really nice Imagineering pin that I need to do some more research on but I'm pretty sure it's real, I got about 10 LE 500s and I'm pretty sure they are all scrappers, most of the hidden mickeys are scrappers and one of the pins was BROKEN when it arrived! I'm very upset, has anyone else had this happen? If so what did you do? I love paying $1.66 a pin but I hate getting fakes!!!!!

I am sorry that happend to you. Pin trading is so expensive (but were hooked and it is a "must do") and I totally understand! I see why you were enticed to this website. I have seen people recommend it (after all... were always looking for a great deal on here, myself included)! Did you pay via credit card or paypal perhaps? If so, can you take that route to get resolution? Did you contact Pinfinder? Good luck!

 

[TWyn]

I'm so sorry to hear this. How can you tell they are scrappers? I ordered 50 from them, and I was really happy with what they sent. I checked them all on pinpics, and they all are listed as legit pins. None of them looked like scrappers to me, unless I'm looking for the wrong thing. I hope they clear this up for you.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

How do you know they are scrappers? I went to a website to find out more about scrappers, and from the pictures I don't think I could tell a good pin from a bad one unless they were sitting right next to each other.. I guess I am the kind of person the dishonest ones are looking for!

Here is the site I looked at: http://www.dizpins.com/pinventory/scrappers.htm

I'm sorry you were cheated, OP, I am sure you are in the process of contacting the seller and hopefully getting a refund.

 

[MEM]

How can you tell they are fakes?

I would like to know this too, since I also bought the 50 pin pack this past weekend for DD12 upcoming Bday. She would be mortified if a CM rejected one of her traders as a "fake". And then DH would kill me for ordering them in the first place!

 

[CarolA]

Rule 1.

Look on the back. If they don't have a Disney imprint you are in trouble! LOL!

Rule 2.

Pins cost between $6 and $12 at the parks. So if someone can afford to sell them to you for $1.66 think about it! Do they like you so much they are willing to lose around $5 a pin? Probably not. So at least some of what you bought was counterfiet/scrap etc... Sorry but that the ONLY way the math adds up if there's a "bulk" seller.

You might find a seller who like me is getting rid of this mess, but if they are running a business... you are not the one making out like a bandit!

 

[Psychodisney]

My gut told me some of mine are scrappers too. Some have a different Disney imprint on them. Is there a particular imprint that we need to look for? Are these still tradeable-kids to CMs?

 

[surfergirl602]

Is there a site out there that will show all the scrappers next to the real ones so we can easily tell? I find it difficult to see the ones listed on the site listed above.

 

[pixiewings71]

Pinfinder lists known scrapper pins so I thought that they would be a good place to buy, that's why I ordered from them. I know they are scrappers because I have legit pins of the same type that are different. I got bowling pins, the bowling pins I got from PF are very different, colors are different, even the size is different! I know the ones I traded for in the parks (DL & DCA) are legit because I watched the CM's remove many of them from the wrappers when we were trading. I'm very disappointed so I thought I'd check here (since this is where I saw the site to begin with) and see if anyone else had this problem. I will be contacting them as soon as I get home tonight and do a little more research, but I know that at least 20 of the pins they sent me are scrappers.
I did pay via Paypal and used a credit card but last time I tried to file with Paypal over scrapper pins they laughed at me and did nothing.

Carol, pins do cost that much in the parks but there are people out there who sell them legitimately. mousepinsonline is one but they send ProPins as well as rack & CM pins so I tend to shy away from them. It's just frustrating, the "rack" pins they sent seem to be OK, but the LE's and CM pins are not, at least as far as I could tell.

Oh and the pin trading board is really really slow so anything that gets put there rarely gets an answer. I posted this here because it was a thread from this board that sent me to PF.

 

[JRoyster86]

Oh no! Ugh, I'm sorry this happened to you. I, too, have ordered the 50 pin lot, but mine haven't arrived yet. I think I ordered Friday or Saturday so hopefully they'll be here soon and I'll report back on whether or not my lot included scrappers. Ugh, how annoying!

 

[thelionqueen]

There is a thread on the other board that directly relates to your question; it is below:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2099914
Basically, if you're paying under $2 a pin in a lot, they are fake. There are of course the Occasional exception to this rule, but in general, they are fake.

I see a lot of people on this thread asking how you can tell; the answer above is the steadfast rule..cheap pins in bulk are fake. I and many other DIS'ers have contacted ebay, Paypal & Disney legal - tips@disneyantipiracy.com
to try to get these counterfeits off the market.

To those (besides thread starter) who don't know how to tell a fake from an authentic, you just have to know your pins. The backs have the exact same wording, authentication as the real pins have. However, as the PP stated, the colors, size, quality and most of all WEIGHT are very noticeably different.

Disney pin trading is NOT an inexpensive venture/hobby, it is quite expensive. And those trying to get a lot of pins to trade, without spending the $ on Disney pins are the ones infiltrating the fakes into the entire pin trading community.

PLEASE look at the thread listed above, there are many legit ebay sellers listing authentic Disney pins, and there are also ebay sellers listing all fakes. Please educate yourself and try to end this! If you want to trade pins, and can't afford it, there are other more "budget friendly" activities to do at the parks (pressed pennies/coins come immediately to mind). By trying to save a buck, you are really undermining the whole premise of pin trading and making it hard for everyone else.

 

[kimsuenew]

My gut told me some of mine are scrappers too. Some have a different Disney imprint on them. Is there a particular imprint that we need to look for? Are these still tradeable-kids to CMs?

Perhaps, if there is a Disney stamp.

As a pin trader, who has spent a fortune on WDW pins in the parks... I hope they don't (trade)!

DS & I both pin trade, and while we do buy some special ones to keep in the parks... we buy most to trade. During our first trip to WDW, I spent about $200.00 in one shop... on four plain lanyards, six souvenier pins, and the rest... pins to trade! I am not complaining, just pointing out how expensive it is to do, and hoping that the CM's check pins out before accepting them, as I do not want "junk" in exchange for my authentic/quality pins!

I have had two pins (one an obvious scrapper when I looked closely at it after receiving it and the other a Sedesma Nemo). I literally gave right back to the CM's after trading!

It's to bad underhanded thieves felt the need to "bootleg" pins... pin trading was so awesome, and before the knock-off's it was "a level playing field", now it is a gamble to trade! You would think that Disney would pull their jobs if it keeps happening as it has to cost them money, but apparently not enough to offset the cost of producing pins elsewhere.

OP ~ did you contact the company about the pins? If so... what was their response?

 

[pixiewings71]

lionqueen, thank you for your link!!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

.

 

[CarolA]

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Carol, pins do cost that much in the parks but there are people out there who sell them legitimately. mousepinsonline is one but they send ProPins as well as rack & CM pins so I tend to shy away from them. It's just frustrating, the "rack" pins they sent seem to be OK, but the LE's and CM pins are not, at least as far as I could tell.

You REALLY want me to believe that someone is willing to lose that much money for you? Hmmm....

 

[Adi12982]

So sorry that happened!! Is there any way you can return them and get your money back?? How did you pay??? If paypal then open a dispute.

I've bought all real pins from:
http://pincastle.com/
and they are on ebay too, you get way better deals there. I have gotten loads of very cheap authentic pins from them in lots of about 20 pins at a time