Reverse image search before you buy

[Fjord]

I just wanted to make a PSA.

If you have any concerns about an online purchase (here or elsewhere), don't just ask for an update to date picture with id/date information, make sure to do a reverse image search https://images.google.com.

And look closely, because photoshop/AI are being used to produce very convincing pictures of "proof".

Just saved me $2,500!

[beatcomber]

Excellent advice!

[Jack the Pearl]

Say wha? Perhaps you could clarify this advice for those of us that haven't progressed beyond linear thinking. I can't understand your point, but advice about how to avoid being defrauded is always welcome. Care to elaborate, please?

[Talk2Me]

Pretty simple warning actually. If you see a picture then run the url through the search bar in the link provided Google will ( theoretically) show you where else that picture appears. It helps prevent people from posting stolen images (ex.taken off another city's craigslist and reposted to yours as an enticement to steal your money since they don't actually have the item).

It's a quick and easy way to weed out that kind of fraud so you never deal with the thief. A first step of many that people purchasing on the internet should do. Nice reminder (or warning to the uninitiated) OP!

[Fjord]

Sorry, I was being vague because I didn't not how much detail I was allowed to disclose.

I was just about to make a purchase (1978 D-41) with someone on the forum. Someone with a long-standing and fairly recently active account. In the listing thread, another member commented that the photo was posted on Reverb in a way that did not line up with the AGF listing. They were trying to alert the AGF seller about a potential scam. That alone should have been my red flag but I went ahead and contacted the AGF seller about the guitar. They were a bit pushy but when I asked for a new photo they sent me something that looked pretty darn convincing. It had a D-41 with a note below showing todays date and the username (see link). I had money in being transferred when I decided to check the image by doing a reverse google image search. The top result was another Reverb D-41 listing, from Japan no less, but without the note of course (see next link). I do not know how they were able to add such a realistic note to the bottom and extend the background (wood panels), but I assume there was some ChatGPT involved. I reported to the AGF administrator and stopped my transfer just in time The AGF listing was removed sometime during my interactions. I assume the account got hacked. Hopefully no one else was scammed.

The deal looked a little too good to be true, another red flag. My lesson -- go slow and verify.

https://i.imgur.com/oel3yHf.jpeg

https://reverb.com/item/72229473-mar...7563-08-10?bk=

[KevinH]

That's kind of scary. Thanks for posting. So, someone hacks the account of an AGF member (or any forum for that matter), then creates a for sale listing in their account using images from a source, like Ishibashi Music, which seems to be a well-known music store in Japan, but probably isn't seen by a lot of people in the US. Devious. It would have to rely on the AGF member that was hacked not noticing that someone had posted in their account. Risky. But what do they have to lose?

BTW, the fake image generation is pretty easy nowadays. Photoshop has something called Generative Fill. Select an area in an image and type some words in that describes what you want. I did the attached image in maybe 5 minutes. I told it to generate "old boards like the ones in this image". Make a Post-It note, take a picture and paste it into the fake guitar image. Super easy.

fake.jpg

Originally Posted by Fjord

Sorry, I was being vague because I didn't not how much detail I was allowed to disclose.

I was just about to make a purchase (1978 D-41) with someone on the forum. Someone with a long-standing and fairly recently active account. In the listing thread, another member commented that the photo was posted on Reverb in a way that did not line up with the AGF listing. They were trying to alert the AGF seller about a potential scam. That alone should have been my red flag but I went ahead and contacted the AGF seller about the guitar. They were a bit pushy but when I asked for a new photo they sent me something that looked pretty darn convincing. It had a D-41 with a note below showing todays date and the username (see link). I had money in being transferred when I decided to check the image by doing a reverse google image search. The top result was another Reverb D-41 listing, from Japan no less, but without the note of course (see next link). I do not know how they were able to add such a realistic note to the bottom and extend the background (wood panels), but I assume there was some ChatGPT involved. I reported to the AGF administrator and stopped my transfer just in time The AGF listing was removed sometime during my interactions. I assume the account got hacked. Hopefully no one else was scammed.

The deal looked a little too good to be true, another red flag. My lesson -- go slow and verify.

https://i.imgur.com/oel3yHf.jpeg

https://reverb.com/item/72229473-mar...7563-08-10?bk=

[frankmcr]

I haven't heard of "reverse image search", is that the same thing as "search the web for image"?

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

I haven't heard of "reverse image search", is that the same thing as "search the web for image"?

A quick search of both terms on Google provided the following:

A reverse image search allows you to take a pre-existing image and retrieve results with the image instead of a keyword like you typically would. It's the same thing as a regular Google search — the only difference is that you're not using a keyword, and as a result, you won't use word-based results.

[tinnitus]

I think I saw something similar on "Catfished." Or was it "90-day Fiancée?"

Kidding aside, scamming oxygen-bandits are everywhere and becoming more creative every day.

[SCVJ]

Great advice, this type of search was unknown to me. I've bought and sold at least 15-20 instruments through Mandolin Cafe (mostly) and AGF, craigslist, ebay and once through Reverb. Most transactions were around 20-25 years ago (pre scam-epidemic), but I'm sure I'll do it again someday. I've bought two guitars through AGF ads in the last year.

My best piece of advice is that I almost never do a deal without insisting on having an old-fashioned phone conversation with the other party. I'll add the image search to my plan. It can be done without the seller even knowing you did it, which is nice.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

I haven't heard of "reverse image search", is that the same thing as "search the web for image"?

Yes.

10 char.

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Yes.

10 char.

Actually no (see my post above).

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Yes.

10 char.

TY
TY
TY
TY
TY

[Dave in Olympia]

If you are using Chrome, simply open up the image, right click, and "search image with Google". On one evening on my local Craigslist, I found three different Martin guitar ads from the same seller that were using images from different Reverb ads using this technique.

[Fjord]

Originally Posted by KevinH

That's kind of scary. Thanks for posting. So, someone hacks the account of an AGF member (or any forum for that matter), then creates a for sale listing in their account using images from a source, like Ishibashi Music, which seems to be a well-known music store in Japan, but probably isn't seen by a lot of people in the US. Devious. It would have to rely on the AGF member that was hacked not noticing that someone had posted in their account. Risky. But what do they have to lose?

BTW, the fake image generation is pretty easy nowadays. Photoshop has something called Generative Fill. Select an area in an image and type some words in that describes what you want. I did the attached image in maybe 5 minutes. I told it to generate "old boards like the ones in this image". Make a Post-It note, take a picture and paste it into the fake guitar image. Super easy.

Attachment 104862

Wow, thanks for this reply.