Disclaimer: I’m being a bit sensationalist by calling this a crime. The seller had stated the damage, and although the exact meaning was lost in translation, I couldn’t see anything in the photos and decided to buy anyway. I don’t feel aggrieved at all, but I thought I’d share what I learnt.
So this is the pack, a lovely Clash of the Blue Sky 1st edition. All looks well at first, especially when looking at a photo online. I couldn’t see anything wrong.
But after having handled the pack I can see the issue now, and what seller said is now apparent. There is a rip/tear/cut from the circular tab that spreads downwards for about 15mm, with a couple pieces of tape covering it.
It’s not visible from back without lifting the spine seam
After having removed the torn piece it’s easy to see why this is a bad situation and open to abuse. You can easily see the cards, and can determine what the pack contains, with first card being the holo, and presumably the potential gold star being first or second.
In all honesty I got a bit excited when I saw the normal/colourless type. However, after looking more closely I could see the card was a fighting type with 80hp. A quick google shows it could either be Breloom or Claydol.
So with this pack being no good for my collection I decided the best solution was to open it. No surprises with the holo, but it was still quite exciting to open for me.
So what was the point of this thread? To highlight the importance of being observant and aware of potential deception. I don’t think I was scammed here, the seller had stated the damage and I disregarded it. Could this happen accidentally or was it deliberate? I’m not sure.