There is zero reason to show the default portrait when one exists.

[MsQi]

all gearset portraits are stored locally on ur harddrive. Every time u join a duty - ur portrait is being uploaded, and verified. They check stuff and check if u did not alter it with 3rd party software.

That's a good thing to check for, however it is clearly checking a lot more than that, and being tripped up by ingame items that I own being replaced by other in game items that I own. Is there any ingame item that is not allowed in a portrait?

This could have been simpler if they weren't so stingy with server side data.