Loveland -- August 19, 2010
Today's edition of the Loveland Connection newspaper ran an article on page 15 with the title, "Hundreds of People
Cash In at the Loveland Roadshow Yesterday.."
The article contains a false by line that says "By Jason Delong" who is identified as a "Staff Writer" instead of his real
job title that has been reported as the Vice-President of the Illinois based Treasure Hunters Roadshow - a travelling
scrap metal business that also goes by the name Ohio Valley Gold and Silver Center. According to publications for the
antique business, this group is known as traveling con artists who trick unsuspecting elderly people out of gold and
other precious metals. One newspaper in Texas sent coin experts undercover into two shows by the company to
expose the scam by demonstrating the Treasure Hunter Roadshow "appraisers" were really predators looking to
make a quick buck. read article
Meanwhile, Loveland's unsuspecting readers of both the Loveland Connection and Reporter-Herald are being mislead
this week through advertisements cleverly disguised as news stories. A news website called "The Awl" wrote an
expose of the group aptly titled for Loveland, "Small Town Newspaper Grift."
The Loveland Connection article starts by reporting that "Yesterday at the Best Western Crossroads Inn &
Conference Center, hundreds lined-up to cash antiques...." The next paragraph reports, "One visitor I spoke
with yesterday said, "It's unbelievable, I brought in some old coins....in less than fifteen minutes later I left
with a check for $712.37." Another apparent participant in the Loveland show this week is reported to have been
paid $5,700 for an old guitar he says "Dad had less than 50 bucks in that guitar."
The problem is the article is not really a news story at all and the reported interviews simply dishonest. An identical
story ran in an Ohio paper on August 20 while another story ran in South Carolina and another identical story ran in the
Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald on page A6 today. To their credit, the Reporter-Herald did mark the bottom of the
page "Paid Advertisement" just below the ads but failed to identify the fake news report as an advertisement. One
would need to connect the two before understanding the disclaimer was for the entire page and not just the
advertisements at the bottom.
The Treasure Hunters Roadshow also have a reputation of bouncing checks from Arizona to Michigan. Here is one
news report in Michigan about one victim of the Treasure Hunters Roadshow. A common complaint in many stories is
the "appraisers" are not really antique experts as implied but employees of the company authorized to squeeze the
marks who go to the "Roadshow."
Jeff parson is not new to this game. He closed a similar outfit that bought antique toys after being sued by the true
Antique Roadshow in 2007. He and his company are again being sued by producers of PBS' most popular show, the
Antique Roadshow.
If you did attend or know someone who has attended the show in Loveland, please feel free to post a comment on our
blog.
Today's edition of the Loveland Connection newspaper ran an article on page 15 with the title, "Hundreds of People
Cash In at the Loveland Roadshow Yesterday.."
The article contains a false by line that says "By Jason Delong" who is identified as a "Staff Writer" instead of his real
job title that has been reported as the Vice-President of the Illinois based Treasure Hunters Roadshow - a travelling
scrap metal business that also goes by the name Ohio Valley Gold and Silver Center. According to publications for the
antique business, this group is known as traveling con artists who trick unsuspecting elderly people out of gold and
other precious metals. One newspaper in Texas sent coin experts undercover into two shows by the company to
expose the scam by demonstrating the Treasure Hunter Roadshow "appraisers" were really predators looking to
make a quick buck. read article
Meanwhile, Loveland's unsuspecting readers of both the Loveland Connection and Reporter-Herald are being mislead
this week through advertisements cleverly disguised as news stories. A news website called "The Awl" wrote an
expose of the group aptly titled for Loveland, "Small Town Newspaper Grift."
The Loveland Connection article starts by reporting that "Yesterday at the Best Western Crossroads Inn &
Conference Center, hundreds lined-up to cash antiques...." The next paragraph reports, "One visitor I spoke
with yesterday said, "It's unbelievable, I brought in some old coins....in less than fifteen minutes later I left
with a check for $712.37." Another apparent participant in the Loveland show this week is reported to have been
paid $5,700 for an old guitar he says "Dad had less than 50 bucks in that guitar."
The problem is the article is not really a news story at all and the reported interviews simply dishonest. An identical
story ran in an Ohio paper on August 20 while another story ran in South Carolina and another identical story ran in the
Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald on page A6 today. To their credit, the Reporter-Herald did mark the bottom of the
page "Paid Advertisement" just below the ads but failed to identify the fake news report as an advertisement. One
would need to connect the two before understanding the disclaimer was for the entire page and not just the
advertisements at the bottom.
The Treasure Hunters Roadshow also have a reputation of bouncing checks from Arizona to Michigan. Here is one
news report in Michigan about one victim of the Treasure Hunters Roadshow. A common complaint in many stories is
the "appraisers" are not really antique experts as implied but employees of the company authorized to squeeze the
marks who go to the "Roadshow."
Jeff parson is not new to this game. He closed a similar outfit that bought antique toys after being sued by the true
Antique Roadshow in 2007. He and his company are again being sued by producers of PBS' most popular show, the
Antique Roadshow.
If you did attend or know someone who has attended the show in Loveland, please feel free to post a comment on our
blog.
| Loveland Newspapers Promote National "Scam" - For A Price |
| VS. |
| Read Illinois newspaper background story on the lawsuit between the Antique Roadshow and the Treasure hunt Roadshow. |
| Click here to download lawsuit filing |