Fake: Forgery, Lies, & Ebay
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Book Overview
It was the golden age of eBay. Optimistic bidders went online to the world's largest flea market in droves, ready to spend cash on everything from garden gnomes to Mercedes convertibles. Among them were art collectors willing to spend big money on unseen paintings, hoping to buy valuable pieces of art at below-market prices. EBay also attracted the occasional con artist unable to resist the temptation of abusing a system that prided itself on being "based on trust." Kenneth Walton -- once a lawyer bound by the ethics of his profession to uphold the law -- was seduced by just such a con artist and, eventually, became one himself. Ripped from the headlines of theNew York Times, the first newspaper to break the story,Fakedescribes Walton's innocent beginnings as an online art-trading hobbyist and details the downward spiral of greed that ultimately led to his federal felony conviction. What started out as a satisfying exercise in reselling thrift store paintings for a profit in order to pay back student loans and mounting credit card debt soon became a fierce addiction to the subtle deception of luring unsuspecting bidders into overpaying for paintings of questionable origins. In a landscape peopled with colorful eccentrics hoping to score museum-quality paintings at bargain prices, Walton entered into a partnership with Ken Fetterman, an unslick (yet somehow very effective) con man. Over the course of eighteen months they managed to take in hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling forged paintings and bidding on their own auctions to drive up the prices. When their deception was discovered and made international headlines, Walton found himself stalked by reporters and federal agents while Fetterman went on the lam, sparking a nationwide FBI manhunt. His elaborate game of cat and mouse lasted nearly three years, until the feds caught up with him after a routine traffic violation and brought him to justice. In this sensational story of the seductive power of greed, Kenneth Walton breaks his silence for the first time and, in his own words, details the international scandal that forever changed the way eBay does business.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:1416907114
ISBN13:9781416907114
Release Date:April 2006
Publisher:Simon Spotlight Entertainment
Length:296 Pages
Weight:0.90 lbs.
Dimensions:1.0" x 6.4" x 8.5"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
something for everyone
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
My son picked "Fake" for our mother/son book club. The boys are sixteen; the mothers work in a variety of professional fields. No one was bored. Everyone finished the book, which is unusual. Discussion was lively and wide-ranging, even with the author present. I asked and he came! Part of the charm of the book, the story and the man derives from our inherent hope that people can grow by surviving adversity, even self-made, or perhaps, especially self-made. Walton gives readers an engaging look at the California art scene and ebay, while allowing us to watch him decide what he will do next. If he writes another book, I'll definitely read it.
So many lessons in one book.... where to start?
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I am a high end art collector at major auctions and have looked at ebay items up for sell. So many are obviously fakes that I have written to a couple of power sellers. They immediately threatened to sue me. However, that is not why I am writing this review. This is a story of someone who knew nothing about art but was slowly engulfed in a new world where profit opportunity was high and old rules no longer applied. The individual involved acted like a major corporation in slowly bending the rules until they no longer believed the old rules or thought they could not possible be caught. I think the story should be read by every corporate executive in America. It shows how easy it is to justify going 65 in a 55 zone and then occasionally speeding up to 85 when you think no one cares that you are going over the speed limit. It is also an inspirational tale. I am very impressed with the author and how he changed his life around. I would also recommend this book to anyone buying or selling on ebay. It is unbelievable how some of the items are marketed there. Ebay is not incented to police it to the degree they should. Buyer beware. At least for sure, I can tell you the art is not what you think it is! This is a fast read .. get it.
Fake: Forgery, Lies, & eBay
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
This is a must read. Man! What a powerful, gripping tale of eBay manipulation in the early days. Walton shares an intimate, personal saga of eBay success and his resulting downfall. I was reading Feinstein's Last Dance when I decided to read the first chapter of Walton's book. 4 1/2 hours later, I went back to Feinstein. Kudos to Ken Walton! JJ Franklin, Tennessee
Lightning fast read
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
In addition to being well written, Walton also writes his account in a way that is honest and takes responsibility for his actions. Far from being self-congratulatory, it's neither self-depricating nor self-agrandizing. Walton manages to communicate a great story while keeping his actions in context. While general readers may be most interested in his account of criminal activity, his book also offers an astute account of the federal criminal legal system and its faults, even if it does so unintentionally. He was prosecuted not because of the economic harm of his crimes, but because the case received a lot of media attention. Were it not for an atypically understanding ADA, he might not have been able to move on with his life. I won't spoil the plot - read for yourself. You won't regret it.
Reads like a suspense thriller - not just a book about eBay
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I bought this book because I'm a powerseller on eBay, and I thought it sounded like an interesting story. But let me tell you, it's far more than just a story about unethical selling on eBay. This book reads like a thriller, and is difficult to put down. It's a crazy story about a somewhat ordinary guy who is unhappy with his job and is desperate to try something different. A lot of us can relate to that. His problem is that the "something" he tries (eBay) tastes so unbelievably good that he gets hooked on it immediately, and then when he discovers that it is rotten inside, he can't stop eating it, even though he knows it's bad for him. This leads to some rather dire consequences. You can't believe what this guy goes through, and you wonder how he survived. In the end, he not only survives, but thrives, and it's inspiring to watch him get there. The writing is not dry or boring at all, and reads like a great novel. He weaves his own crazy story with interesting facts about eBay, the art world, and the criminal justice system. I should say this: This book is not just for eBay users. This is a story ANYone could enjoy and relate to. I challenge you to to try and tear yourself away from it once you start.
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