TCI Sports Fan — Local services in Dayton

Beware of Shill Bidding – This Whatnot Seller Is Playing You

If you’re considering buying from TCI on Whatnot, run the other way—unless you’re okay with being played like a fool by a company that manipulates its own auctions to squeeze every last dollar out of unsuspecting collectors.

Let me paint the full picture for you.

I’ve been a collector for over a decade. I’ve seen shady, but this place? It’s a whole different level of manipulative and calculated fraud. They don’t just run auctions—they rig them. Every time a higher-end card goes up that isn’t tracking toward their internal “minimum profit threshold,” suddenly a “mystery bidder” appears. Out of nowhere. No history. No previous interaction. Perfectly timed bids. Bidding in patterns that are textbook shill tactics.

Here’s the kicker: multiple users (including myself) have caught on to their burner account—an alternate profile they clearly use to artificially drive up prices when cards don’t meet the number they want. It’s always the same behavior: zero engagement, new profile, just enough bids to push the item over the line. And if it doesn’t sell where they want? Mysteriously, it gets “canceled” or relisted the next week like nothing happened. The worst part? Sometimes their burner wins the auction and they claim the “buyer backed out.” You know what that is? That’s called inventory protection through fraud.

And they’re not slick about it either. You’ll notice patterns if you watch enough of their breaks: • High-end slab not moving? Cue the “ghost bid.” • A rare card underselling? Suddenly someone with no follower base jumps in and “wins” it—then it’s relisted two streams later. • And when you call them out in the comments? You’ll get banned on the spot. No questions, no defense. Just silenced.

It’s ironic—this store markets itself as community-driven, collector-friendly, and honest. But what they really are is a pump-and-dump operation with smoke and mirrors. They’re not here for the hobby. They’re here to milk as much money as possible through manipulative bidding, fake accounts, and rigged auctions.

If you’re a collector who actually values transparency, fair pricing, and ethical business, steer clear. Don’t reward a store that spits in the face of everything this hobby is supposed to stand for.

This isn’t just a bad seller—it’s a straight-up scam in...

I Love, T. C. I Sports Fan,I need to pull a Huge Hit its been awhile, I can't complain I've pulled some good cards and in years past pulled some Big Hits ,It's time to pull the Ultimate Card, Really like going there, Really good people,I'll be be going there before Christmas hits, an if your into sports cards, go check them out, I really enjoy shopping there an it's a Blessing to have good people with a very nice place an I can say this much if you haven't checked them out, Plz do so it'll be...Worth It, Godbless for having such a great store an really good all around people,I'm very pleased with them I'm Happy to have found the place...

These people treat you with the utmost respect and are always very kind. Personally I have never had a bad experience with the TCI staff and they are always on time, helpful, genuine, POLITE!!!, extremely helpful, and most of all have excellent prices. If your looking for a hobby shop for any sports cards or items TCI is the place to go.

Hate to even mention this “companies” name but All American on Woodman is somewhere NO ONE SHOULD EVER GO TO LOOK/BUY/SELL any sports items. He is a scam artist and a miserable person, but if I had a unorganized and disgusting trash pit he calls a store I would be mad...