Music lovers are contesting the authenticity of autographs and memorabilia from their favorite musicians, according to Better Business Bureau’s complaints against Autographs America Inc.

The online autograph dealer, based in Maple Valley, Wash., carries an “F” rating—BBB’s lowest—due to 16 complaints over the last three years. Eight complaints remain unanswered or unresolved.

While autographs are advertised as “authentic” on autographsamerica.com, some complainants tell BBB that they believe signatures are forged. Additionally, complaints allege that the company refuses refunds for those dissatisfied with memorabilia. Some say that emails, messages and phone calls are left unanswered.

When seeking the signature of a celebrity, athlete or other public figure, compare:

Price: Check multiple auction sites to gauge the “going rate” for a specific autograph. Be wary of items advertised far above or below the average price.

Dealers: Visit bbb.org for BBB Business Reviews on “Autograph Dealers” across the country. Enter the dealer’s name and business name into search engines for independent consumer reviews.

Signatures: Find examples of the celebrity’s autograph to compare it to the potential purchase. View it closely to ensure it’s not a reprint or autopen of an authentic signature; if images are blurry or distant, request other photos from the seller. Ask questions and find out if a Certificate of Authenticity is available.

Visit Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona at www.tucson.bbb.org.

For more than 30 years, Tucson Coin & Autograph has been providing trustworthy customer service in an industry that is too often marred by unscrupulous traveling companies.

In today’s wide-open and booming market for rare coins and gold, many consumers are accustomed to watching “hotel gold buyers” come into town, set up shop at a hotel for a weekend, then move on to another city- often times leaving a bevy of unhappy consumers in their wake.

Tucson Coin & Autograph, which has been an Accredited Business since 1997, does business differently. Owner Brett Sadovnick has made it his duty to alert BBB whenever he comes across a company in his industry he feels is lacking in ethics.

“I’ve taken it upon myself to be a very proactive member of the BBB,” Sadovnick said. “I’m always on the lookout for possible scams, and I like to alert people when I see one happening.”

This past January, Sadovnick alerted BBB to a misleading advertisement running in the Arizona Daily Star that claimed the existence of “rare” Arizona $2 bills.

After agreeing to be part of a BBB press release, Sadovnick’s efforts culminated in an article in the Daily Star warning consumers about the offer, and a blog post on Consumerist.com, a popular consumer Web site that, according to Google, attracts 3,825,000 page views each month.

In an industry so infamous for companies that seem to be here today, gone tomorrow, Tucson Coin & Autograph’s longevity in the Tucson market is a testament to how fairly they’ve treated their customers, (more…)