How to Know If Pokemon Cards Are Fake

Steps

Part 1

Is everything displayed as it should be?

1. 1

   Familiarize yourself with the Pokémon species. Sometimes the pictures on fake cards show things that aren't even Pokémon, like Digimon (or similar imitators) or animals. Be suspicious if what a card displays looks questionable, or if there appears to be a sticker on top of the card.

2. 2

   Look at the attacks and HP.

   If the HP is anywhere over 500, or the attacks don't exist, then it's a fake for sure. Also, if it says HP 80 instead of 80 HP, it is definitely a fake card because real cards say 80 HP, not HP 80. That's only with old cards; new cards have HP 80 instead of 80HP.

   • However, a few genuine cards have the variable and the attribute name inverted as a result of a printing mistake. Do not discard the card as fake without making further checks, as if the card is a genuine with a mistake, it may be valuable.

3. 3

   Look for spelling mistakes, fancy borders around the Pokémon's picture, or a cup-like base holding the energy.

4. 4

   Compare the energy symbol to other cards. Many fakes have energy symbols that are slightly larger, distorted, or offset from each other.

5. 5

   Look at the text. On fake cards, the text is usually slightly smaller than on real cards and is usually in a different font.

6. 6

   Check the weakness, resistance, and the retreat cost. The weakness/resistance's maximum damage addition/subtraction is +/-40, unless the weakness is x2. The retreat cost is no more than 4.

7. 7

   Check the card box. With fake cards, the box won't have trademarks and will say something like "pre-release trading cards". It will be made from cheap cardboard, without the standard bag.

8. 8

   Look at the card's spellings. Fake cards often have wrong spellings. Common mistakes among them including spelling the Pokémon names incorrectly, having no accent i.e. " ` " sign on the 'e' of 'Pokémon' , etc. You may also see the cards spelling the attacks inaccurately, and not having any energy signs under the attack for the attack description.

9. 9

   If it is a first edition, look at the circular first edition stamp to the lower left of the card's picture. Sometimes (particularly for base set cards), people will stamp a card with their own 1st edition stamp. How can you tell the difference? First, a fake stamp is usually more imperfect and there are a few blotches on the stamp. Second, fake stamps come right off if you try to rub/scratch them off, very easily.

Part 2

Colors

1. 1

   See if the colors are faded, smudged, too dark, or just plain inaccurate (beware of Shining Pokémon, though! Those rare Pokémon are purposely the wrong color). The chances that it's a factory mistake are very slim; it's much more likely to be fake.

2. 2

   Look at the back of the card. On fake cards, the blue swirling design often looks purplish. Also, sometimes the Poké Ball is upside down (on a real card, the red half is on the top).

Part 3

Size and Weight

1. 1

   Inspect the card itself. A fake card usually feels thin and flimsy and you may be able to see through it if you hold it up to the light. Some fake cards, on the other hand, are too hard and look shiny. If it's the wrong size, that's also a telltale sign. Different materials will also wear differently, so on more "used" cards look for more damage to corners and unusual wear patterns. Also, fake cards often have no copyright date or the illustrator at the bottom of the card.

2. 2

   Grab another card. Is the card in question the same size? Is it too pointy? Is it centered right? Is there more yellow on one side of the card than the other?

3. 3

   Bend it a little. If it bends with great ease, it's a fake. The real cards are not flimsy.

Part 4

Testing

1. 1

   If you are certain it is a fake try making a small tear in it. Then take an old Pokémon card you don't use anymore, and make a small rip in that. Then compare the rate at which both ripped. If the fake one ripped faster, then it's without a doubt a fake.

2. 2

   A quick way to test if your Pokémon card is real or fake is to take a close look at the edge of it. Real Pokémon cards have a very thin sheet of black between the cardboard. It's very thin, but up close it is easy to see the darkness between the two thin halves of the card. Fake cards won't have this.

Community Q&A

Add New Question

• Why are fake cards such a problem?

  wikiHow Contributor

  When people go to a trusted store that sells Pokemon cards, they expect their money's worth in real cards, which can be resold and used in tournaments. If a fake card package is on the shelves at stores the consumer wasted their money on non-usable fake cards.

  88% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• Where do they sell fake cards?

  wikiHow Contributor

  Trading websites such as eBay, Amazon, or Craigslist are more likely to sell fake cards than a brick and mortar store. You should also be careful when trading cards with someone, especially if a trade seems too good to be true.

  88% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• How do I know if the ex Pokemon card is real?

  wikiHow Contributor

  Sometimes the colors on the back of a fake Pokemon card are a bit lighter than the real cards. Also, fake Pokemon cards have stats that don't seem realistic. It is also thinner and easier to bend.

  90% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• i have a feeling that Timburr is fake because it looks very cartoony. Is it?

  wikiHow Contributor

  Timburr is in fact a real Pokemon. You can easily find a picture of the Timburr card online to compare to the artwork on your card. Almost all fake cards do have the correct artwork, though, so follow the instructions in this article just in case.

  86% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• How can you tell if a "full art" card is fake?

  wikiHow Contributor

  Traditionally, full art cards usually have a brown or rust-colored border. If it is yellow, it is likely a fake.

  85% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• If the Pokemon word on the back is upside down is it fake?

  wikiHow Contributor

  The word Pokemon appears twice, once right-side-up at the top of the card (above the red side of the Pokeball), and once upside-down at the bottom of the card (below the white side of the Pokeball).

  81% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• Do people still sell fake Pokemon cards today?

  wikiHow Contributor

  Yes, they do. There are still Pokemon card collectors today, and there are still occasional scammers trying to take advantage of them.

  100% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• How can I tell if I buy in the internet, that the cards I get aren't fake?

  wikiHow Contributor

  It's pretty hard to tell. With some, like eBay, some people use fake photos instead of the real thing to mislead you into buying it. At a first glance, it might seem legit, but the cards you actually get might not be. If you do buy cards off the internet, check the seller's reputation, if the site has that. If they have high reputation, there's less chance of it being fake. If they have low reputation, don't bother.

  75% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

• My card is smaller than normal, is that a fake?

  wikiHow Contributor

  It might be, but you should make sure. Compare the card with others, and check for spelling errors.

  75% of people said this answer helped them. Did it help you? Thanks!

Ask a Question

Tips

• When buying cards, bring along some cards you know are real so you will be able to have something to compare the cards in question with.
• Unless the card is obviously fake, do not instantly assume that it is fake, inspect it first.
• Real cards usually contain an illustrator name in the bottom left corner. If they don't have an illustrator name, they are probably fake.
• Real Pokémon booster packs (and sometimes decks and other merchandise) are sometimes sold in packaged sets with a promotional card or POP (Pokémon Organized Play) 2 card promotional pack. While these are legitimate, the promotional cards and POP packs tend to be old, and may not be legal for Official play.
• Remember that this applies not only to buying cards, but also trading.
• Buy cards in the sealed decks or card packs instead of buying individual cards outside of the package.
• Small foil-covered cardboard "booster pack" boxes with random images from the Pokémon TV show are fakes, they are often found cheap at swap meets, flea markets, and street vendors. These are not the larger deck boxes that are officially sold.
• Don't use Pokémon maker websites.
• All real cards have a certain look to the back that no fake card will ever be able to copy. When you get experienced at the Pokémon TCG one glance at the back is enough to reveal the legitimacy of the card.
• Become one with Pokémon to really know whether it is fake. If you know Pokémon, then you will be able to tell if a card is fake at-a-glance!
• If you get a powerful or rare card in a relatively cheap pack, or a beginner's pack, there is a chance it could be fake. If it fits one of the criteria above, contact "Pokémon USA".
• If it shows the level number directly after the name of the Pokémon unless it's from the older sets (for example, Pikachu LV.20), it is probably a fake. Of course, if this applies to the whole pack.
• Sometimes cards in languages other than English and Japanese are fake. If the Pokémon name is anything other than as it appears in the Pokedex, for example "Webarak" instead of "Spinarak," it probably isn't the real deal.
• If you buy packaged cards that fit one of these criteria (which sometimes can happen), contact Pokémon USA".
• Getting cards that are bought in big chain stores are real.
• Don't buy cards from dollar stores or street vendors.Those shops try to get money that way.
• Cards that have thick yellow marks on edges are fake.
• Always check if the card is more blurry than the real card.
• Turn the card over so you see the back -- sometimes the colors are different. Fake cards have a light blue color while real cards have a dark blue color.
• Most ex-Pokemon cards should shine. If it doesn't, then it is fake.
• Fake cards often have a card feel on the back. Real ones feel like plastic.

Warnings

• Boosters are not always safe, some people make fake booster packs.
• Energy cards are the hardest to tell if they are fake. Look closely at the symbols on the element sphere. Compare it to a card you know is real. If it's any different, even if the difference is the length of one of the star points on the Double Colourless Energy Card, it's fake for sure.
• Not all the criteria applies to fake cards. Some people are very skilled at making their fakes look real; always buy from a trusted dealer.
• On almost all Pokémon cards, the attacks don't exist, even if they are real cards - so be aware of that.

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