There is a huge difference......when you buy something from a scalper you are going in knowing that there is a chance of getting screwed. When you are buying stock through a broker there is an assumption that what you are buying is real. There is no way of knowing that it wouldn't be. So all of the burden lies with the broker. It they the broker sold counterfeit shares to us then it is their responsibility to make us whole. They the broker then would need to go after the counterfeiter. Not us. Some how this has been turned upside down. imo