How to Spot Fake Pokémon Cards and Resealed Packs
- First check
- A real copyof the same card, side by side
- Quick check
- Hold it to a lightfakes are often easy to see through
- Not proof alone
- Shrink wrapbuy from a seller you trust
- Graded slabs
- Look up the certand match every field
- Biggest warning sign
- A price far below marketcheck it on Quaza Track first
No single test catches every fake Pokémon card. The Pokémon Company's own advice is short: hold a card up to a bright light, learn what real packaging looks like, and be wary of prices far below the suggested retail price. It also says it gets more reports of counterfeit sales from flea markets than from anywhere else.
Shop sealed Pokémon
See the collection
How to tell if a Pokémon card is fake
The best checks all need a card you know is real. Use more than one.
| Check | What to look for | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| A real copy | The same card from the same set: font, symbols, HP, number and foil | Start here |
| The back | Colour and print against the back of a real card | Side by side |
| Light | Counterfeit cards are often easy to see through against a bright light | A quick first check |
| The price | Far below the suggested retail price or the market price | A near-certain warning |
| Packaging | Packaging that does not match the real product | Learn the real one first |
Start with a real copy of the same card from the same set, side by side. Check the font, energy symbols, HP, set symbol, number and foil, then compare the backs. Japanese cards have a different back from English ones, so compare a Japanese card with a real Japanese one.
Then hold the card up to a bright light. Counterfeit cards are often easy to see through, so it makes a quick first check. If a card still looks wrong, a shop that specializes in trading cards may be able to check it for you.
Skip the rip test and the bend test. Both destroy or damage the card, and neither is needed.
How to spot resealed Pokémon packs
The Pokémon Company says fake booster packs can be very hard to tell from real ones. Compare the seal with a sealed pack of the same set, and look for glue or wrinkles along the seal.
Learn what real packaging looks like: many knockoffs look nothing like the official product. Buy loose packs only from a shop you trust.
Is a shrink-wrapped booster box really sealed?
Not always. A box can be opened and re-wrapped, so shrink wrap alone does not prove it is sealed. Compare the box and its film with a real one of the same product, and buy from a shop you trust.
A barcode proves nothing either way. Japanese barcodes start with 45 or 49, and a fake can copy any barcode.
How to check a graded Pokémon card
Look up the certification number on the grader's own site: PSA cert lookup or CGC cert lookup. Then match every field to the slab in your hand: card, set, number, grade and the photo, if there is one. A valid number alone is not proof.
Beckett's website, cert lookup included, went offline after Beckett detected suspicious activity, and it was still down in October 2026. Beckett says its team keeps full access to its systems and data. While the lookup is down, treat a seller's screenshot of a Beckett cert as no proof.
What to do if you are sold a fake
Pay through a platform that offers buyer protection, and claim quickly: some give trading card buyers only a few days to open a case. Cash and friends-and-family payments have no buyer protection.
In Canada, report the fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, online or by phone at 1-888-495-8501 on weekdays. Report it to your local police too, and report the listing to the site it was on.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell if a Pokémon card is fake?
Compare it with a real copy of the same card: font, symbols, numbers, foil and the back. Hold it to a bright light too, since counterfeit cards are often easy to see through. No single test settles it, so use more than one.
Does the light test work on Pokémon cards?
Yes, as a quick first check. Counterfeit cards are often easy to see through when held up to a bright light. Then compare the card with a real copy.
How do you know if a Pokémon pack has been resealed?
Compare the seal with a sealed pack of the same set and look for glue, lifted foil or wrinkles. Buy loose packs only from a seller you trust.
Does shrink wrap prove a booster box is sealed?
No. A box can be opened and re-wrapped. Check the film, the box and the seller.
How do I check a graded Pokémon card?
Look up the certification number on the grading company's site and match every field to the slab. A valid number alone is not proof.
Where do most fake Pokémon cards come from?
The Pokémon Company says it receives the most reports of counterfeit sales from flea markets.
Sources
- Pokémon Support: fake or counterfeit cards
- Play! Pokémon TCG tournament handbook: Japanese card backs
- GS1 Japan: JAN codes start with 45 or 49
- PSA: cert lookup
- CGC Cards: cert lookup
- Beckett: platform status
- Money Back Guarantee policy, trading card claims
- PayPal Canada: Buyer Protection
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: merchandise fraud
