Internet & eBay fraud warning


ILDA does not manufacture or sell equipment. You should therefore beware of potential Internet/eBay misuse or fraud.

• If you see laser show equipment which says it is "ILDA compatible", be wary. Some mislabeled equipment will use the same connector, but will have different, incompatible pin assignments or signal levels (such as the projector at right).

• If you see the ILDA logo being used to sell equipment, this is incorrect. ILDA does not approve or certify equipment.

• If you see "ILDALASER" equipment on the Internet or eBay, this is fraudulent trademark infringement. The equipment has nothing to do with ILDA. Because of the trademark infringement, we do not recommend that you purchase from this company.

• If you are an eBay seller, and you receive a check from "ILDA", this may be part of an online scam. See below for details.

"ILDA compatible"?

The International Laser Display Association has developed a set of technical standards that allow controllers such as computers to talk to laser projectors. The connector used for this is a DB-25. These were commonly used on IBM PC-type computers for parallel ports; they have 25 holes (pictured above) or pins.

Just because a laser projector or controller has a DB-25 connector does not mean that it is ILDA compatible. The pin assignments and signals also must conform with the ILDA technical standards. In addition, an "ILDA Standard Projector" also has requirements for scanner tuning speed (how well the scanners can show a test pattern) and optional requirements for DMX effects control.

If you are considering purchasing laser equipment with an "ILDA connector", be sure that the manufacturer guarantees that it conforms to ALL of the ILDA DB-25 specifications, including the pins and signals. These specifications are available for free to ILDA members, in the Members-Only section. Non-members can purchase them by contacting ILDA; the price is $50 for a set of all standards.
 

ILDA logo is not for equipment

The ILDA logo is a trademark which is reserved for use of the International Laser Display Association. We do allow members to use the logo in approved ways to indicate their membership in ILDA.

However, the ILDA logo should never be used with equipment, to state or imply that the equipment meets ILDA's technical standards. If you see the ILDA logo being used to sell equipment, this is trademark infringement and we'd appreciate it if you would let us know.
 

Fraud and trademark infringement

We have seen fraudulent ILDA logos being used. The one at right is an example.

Also, the name "ILDA" is a trademark. It should not be used for company or product names.

As of spring 2006, there is a company selling lasers and equipment using the names "ILDALASER" and "MYILDA". These products have nothing to do with ILDA. Obviously, we cannot recommend that you buy from companies that are blatantly trading on ILDA's 20-year reputation as the industry's leading trade association.

"ILDA check" eBay scam

In mid-May 2006, ILDA received three calls from people selling items on eBay. These sellers had checks from a buyer claiming to be in Georgia; the checks included ILDA's name. One check was for $25,000.

At this time, ILDA has not purchased any items on eBay. Therefore, these "ILDA" checks are likely to be fraudulent. In one case, the buyer overpaid for the items and asked for the overpayment amount to be returned to them. Of course, the original "ILDA" check will bounce and the buyer will have both the eBay item and the overpayment. This is a known scam.

If you are an eBay seller and have received such a check, do not cash the check and do not send your item. Contact eBay to report the buyer. If you wish, call our office at 407-797-7654 to confirm that we did not send the check.