L.A. area Just Found

**Ji'dai** · 12-21-2009

Originally Posted by Tycho

IMPORTANT EDIT TO THE ABOVE

The Zuckuss I got is a fraud! I'm no longer trading it, but returning it.

Someone re-carded the 1998 Zuckuss and even swapped the HK-50 part for a YVH-1 part and then returned it.

I didn't look closely because I picked up this figure only to trade for one of the other 2 in this wave which I want multiples of.

I got fooled.

That's interesting. I don't see this kind of thing in my area. But it does illustrate that some of those older figure sculpts are actually pretty good. Obviously good enough to fool a seasoned collector. I haven't seen the new Zuckuss at all, but I know the '98 version is a pretty decent figure. When 4-LOM was redone, I passed since the older version, although not as articulated, still holds up well too.

**Jango Speck** · 12-22-2009

Originally Posted by JediTricks

There's a Kohl's, TRU, and Target nearby? [google maps...] SON OF A GUN! I had no idea that stuff was out there.

*sigh* I love that Clearman's Northwoods Inn in San Gabriel, I totally forgot they knocked down the rest of Clearman Village to build that f'ing Kohls. I guess I haven't been in a while, last time I was there they had just finished the building where the village used to be. Thanks for the reminder.

They reopened the Boat restaurant too (The Galley), but it's down 1/2 block instead of on the corner.

**Tycho** · 12-22-2009

The FRAUD continues:

Tonight at Wal-Mart, on the Willrow Hood card, was a Luke X-wing body with some other black dude's head attached. He was bald and looked like one of those cheap "Military Heroes" figures, that's a surrogate for GI Joe toys. The droid part for HK-50 was also replaced with a YVH-1 part.

Then I saw the Bespin Guard's card. On it was the POTJ Bespin Guard with the shirt open, and a new head - some character with a mustache actually. His hat was replaced with one of the Youngling's helmets from the Yoda / Jedi Temple Younglings 2-packs sold back in 2003.

Finally, I saw the Concept Snowtrooper's cardback, and his figure was replaced with a white ARC-170 pilot from 2005. All the HK-50 parts were replaced with YVH-1 parts.

These cards were so well-resealed that the manager on duty didn't believe me when I turned them in (right after I got my refund for the fraudulent Zuckuss figure and explained it to another manager).

These were assistant managers. The entire store manager is a friend of mine who's known me as a collector for years. I went over the assistant's head and asked for him to come over to the toy isle for "nerd identification," whereby he helped me validate my credentials as a bonified nerd with well over 25 years of geeky experience. Once that was established as a matter of fact, my report on the fraud was not questioned.

The assistant asked if Zuckuss wasn't a production error and I replied that the Zuckuss on the card I returned hasn't been in production since 1998 and it could not be a manufacturer's error! Grrrrrrr.

Why do people doubt me as a nerd? Is it because I don't look like one? There's no place to put a pocket protector in my Chargers' jersey and my vision is still very finely attuned so I can't break glasses I don't wear (or own for that matter) and tape them back together with a clashing color of masking or electrical tape. I was also too busy playing sports to ever learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons. I can't believe I just admitted that here!

In any case, almost any given night (uh...except for the night I bought it) I can tell a 2009 Zuckuss from a 1998 one!

**plasticfetish** · 12-22-2009

Originally Posted by Tycho

The FRAUD continues

Um... I'm unfamiliar with the strange ways of you southerners, but who in their right minds would go to all that trouble for a few Star Wars figures? Wouldn't the time involved in playing out this stupid scam be worth ten times what the figures are worth?

**Maradona** · 12-22-2009

Originally Posted by Tycho

[SIZE="6"]
These cards were so well-resealed that the manager on duty didn't believe me when I turned them in (right after I got my refund for the fraudulent Zuckuss figure and explained it to another manager).

For years, I've wanted to catch someone doing this and report him. No luck so far, but I did see someone get caught trying to pull a callous switcheroo this past October. I was in line and a guy several people ahead of me was returning a humidifier. The box was sealed, but the female attendant still opened it. To her surprise, and most assuredly to the guy's dismay, when opened, the box was full of old video cassettes. He immediately got flustered. The girl called a manager. Strange explanations ensued. Ultimately, they just let him walk away without a refund. Why they didn't call security or loss prevention, I'll never know.

**Maradona** · 12-22-2009

Originally Posted by JediTricks

Where are all these Kohls stores?

I've noticed some sites that were previously Mervyn's have become Kohl's. Stonewood mall is one.

**JediTricks** · 12-22-2009

Target Culver City had a CW Gree.

Originally Posted by Jango Speck

They reopened the Boat restaurant too (The Galley), but it's down 1/2 block instead of on the corner.

Huh, that's not a bad idea. It's a boat, it should be able to move.

I'm glad some of it survived besides Northwoods Inn.

Originally Posted by Tycho

The FRAUD continues:

Tonight at Wal-Mart, on the Willrow Hood card, was a Luke X-wing body with some other black dude's head attached. He was bald and looked like one of those cheap "Military Heroes" figures, that's a surrogate for GI Joe toys. The droid part for HK-50 was also replaced with a YVH-1 part.

Then I saw the Bespin Guard's card. On it was the POTJ Bespin Guard with the shirt open, and a new head - some character with a mustache actually. His hat was replaced with one of the Youngling's helmets from the Yoda / Jedi Temple Younglings 2-packs sold back in 2003.

Finally, I saw the Concept Snowtrooper's cardback, and his figure was replaced with a white ARC-170 pilot from 2005. All the HK-50 parts were replaced with YVH-1 parts.

These cards were so well-resealed that the manager on duty didn't believe me when I turned them in (right after I got my refund for the fraudulent Zuckuss figure and explained it to another manager).

These were assistant managers. The entire store manager is a friend of mine who's known me as a collector for years. I went over the assistant's head and asked for him to come over to the toy isle for "nerd identification," whereby he helped me validate my credentials as a bonified nerd with well over 25 years of geeky experience. Once that was established as a matter of fact, my report on the fraud was not questioned.

The assistant asked if Zuckuss wasn't a production error and I replied that the Zuckuss on the card I returned hasn't been in production since 1998 and it could not be a manufacturer's error! Grrrrrrr.

Why do people doubt me as a nerd? Is it because I don't look like one? There's no place to put a pocket protector in my Chargers' jersey and my vision is still very finely attuned so I can't break glasses I don't wear (or own for that matter) and tape them back together with a clashing color of masking or electrical tape. I was also too busy playing sports to ever learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons. I can't believe I just admitted that here!

In any case, almost any given night (uh...except for the night I bought it) I can tell a 2009 Zuckuss from a 1998 one!

I got your voicemail about that. What kills me most is how lazy the employees are that they'll likely put them back on cards yet again. I wish scum like this did jailtime for pulling this stunt. Can you imagine how miserable someone will be receiving these as gifts, having their hopes fly and then dashed a second later?

Originally Posted by plasticfetish

Um... I'm unfamiliar with the strange ways of you southerners, but who in their right minds would go to all that trouble for a few Star Wars figures? Wouldn't the time involved in playing out this stupid scam be worth ten times what the figures are worth?

Some people feel their time is worthless and will only work if they think they're getting something over on someone.

Originally Posted by Maradona

I've noticed some sites that were previously Mervyn's have become Kohl's. Stonewood mall is one.

Thanks. Now if I only knew where THAT was.

**bikerscout** · 12-23-2009

did a little run here in mid-MI (and this wont help for LA collectors, but i wanted to post anyway)

Target- 1st mission was to pick-up District 9 on BR, accomplished. SW- had a Concept Ki-Adi, but nothing else good

TRU - received a shipment & was freshly stocked this AM, but i arrived late afternoon - (opened @ 6am. yikes!!!) mostly current CW was stocked, but also a case of ANH at least. Finally saw transdoshan guy and leesub. Saw a Joe from the new toy line never saw before -Charbroil. Pretty cool sculpt & armor.

Kohl's - went in not expecting much, but they had a very small amount of ANH, a lot of the AOTC wave, some wave 6 and some wave 8. They had at least 5 Concept Anakins!!! But they were only at 20% off of 10.99. 8.49 or 8.79 after sale

Walmart - a mixture of ANH, ROTJ, legends and some ROTS. Now most of the figures were marked back up from $6 to $7.46, but......... I noticed that some weren't i.e. Plo Koon and Cmdr Cody!! Picked them up, of course. They scanned higher, but the cashier marked them down for me. Coasted through. Crappy thing was, all the exclusives including Evol, Dewback, AT-ST and even droid factory sets were still full price. No MP Skywarps at this store either. Still lookin for a clearanced one, before i open mine.

D9 and 2 figs I wanted at $6?? I'm happy. Xmas presents to myself.

now if Mich. State (alma mater) beat Texas men's BB team last nite --i would've been ecstatic. Hard to beat a team 4 times in a row though. Esp. if they came off of kickin UNC's *** on the wknd.