Journalist seeking to interview people who bought prototype cards for video story

General
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Hi everyone,

My name is Jed Oelbaum, and I’m a video producer working with the publication Newsweek. I’ve been putting together a video piece about the prototype card scandal and its fallout and I’m looking to get in touch with people who bought prototype cards that were found to be fake…or anyone with interesting information to share about any part of this story.

I am looking to speak with anyone who would be comfortable discussing their experiences in a short, recorded video call.

Even if you are not interested in a video interview, I would love to hear about your experiences by email. And of course, happy to respond to any questions about the project or potential participation in this story.

You can reach me at j.oelbaum@newsweek.com

FYI: I already posted this in the thread about the prototypes being printed in 2024, so apologies for the duplication - just trying to find a few more people who want to talk, if possible.

Thanks for considering the request. Looking forward to hearing from you.

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A general question I have is what questions you plan on asking those who bought the cards? Alot of it was pure speculation from buyers on hoping they were real, so Id be curious about that portion. Good luck, and welcome back to the forums. Love your name btw.

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I had a long call with Jed so I can confirm this is a legitimate request.

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Thanks for responding.

My top priority in reaching out like this is illustrating that this was a large fraud that impacted a lot of different people from different walks of life.

I can’t give an exact list of questions I would ask because it would vary, and I would want it to be a conversation, if possible.

But for anyone open to an interview, here are some things I would definitely ask about:

I would be asking a bit about you and your life and your relationship with Pokemon.

I would ask about which cards you bought, how much you spent, and whether you were reimbursed in part or full by any party.

I would want to know by what means you purchased the cards, how you found out they were fake, and your impressions of how this whole affair impacted the community.

And I would want to know who you think is responsible for this scandal and what you’d like to see happen, in terms of accountability and justice.

Happy to answer any additional questions or concerns! Thanks again for considering.

j.oelbaum@newsweek.com

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Any interest in people who spoke out against it early on?

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@Abyssoft made a well-researched video after conducting a lot of interviews and investigative work. I imagine they would be a good resource.

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Thanks for responding! Would you mind emailing me with a few details about yourself and your collecting background, why you became suspicious, and how you spoke out against the prototypes? j.oelbaum@newsweek.com

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I saw this video - definitely thorough, thanks for the recommendation, I will reach out.