Cheap Mcdavid merch too good to be true? Check the hologram

There are reliable methods to check whether signed sports memorabilia is legit or fake, a Connor Mcdavid’s collectibles provider says in the wake of a forged Mcdavid jersey fiasco.

Last month, Edmonton police laid fraud and forgery charges against a man they allege inked phoney signatures from the Oilers star on team jerseys.

Upper Deck, a U.S. collectibles supplier that has an exclusive deal with Mcdavid to provide signed memorabilia, issued a statement Wednesday on behalf of the stickhandling celebrity.

“I was very disappointed to learn that illegal merchandise, with my name, was being sold,” Mcdavid’s statement said. “It’s important to me that fans and collectors aren’t getting taken advantage of and that they have a trusted source for authentic autographs.”

There are extra steps fans should take to check whether any signed goodies are real, Upper Deck president Jason Masherah said in an interview Wednesday. Each Mcdavid-signed item has a holographic serial number sticker affixed. A matching sticker is stuck to the certificate of authenticity, he said.

If you’re shopping online or suspicious of the seller, there is an online database including Mcdavid collectibles potential buyers can search to verify the item is legit, he said.

“At the end of the day, anybody could print a certificate,” he said. “Unfortunately, people are getting caught up in this thing because of some dishonest individuals.”

Masherah declined to say how much swag Mcdavid is signing, save for, “It’s not a lot.”

There are three authorized dealers in Edmonton carrying Mcdavid collectibles: Pro Am Sports, Wayne’s Sports Cards and Collectibles, and Wests Sports Cards.

As of July 18, Edmonton police had obtained two forged Mcdavid jerseys and asked the public to come forward with any more they believed could be fakes. Police spokespeople did not respond to a request for an update on Wednesday.