How to Know If Pokémon Cards Are Fake

Reviewed by Ishrak

Last Updated: December 2, 2024 Approved

Many people enjoy collecting Pokémon cards. Unfortunately, there are some scam artists who will try to sell fake cards to enthusiastic collectors. However, their fakes are not as close to the real thing as they want you to think. An example of a legitimate card is one that is real. To authenticate legit cards, keep reading.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Checking the Display

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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.
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Look at the attacks and HP. If the HP is anywhere over 300, or the attacks don't exist, then it's a fake for sure. Also, if it says (attack no.) HP instead of HP (attack no.), it is definitely a fake card because real cards display the HP first and not the attack no. first. That's only with old cards; new cards have HP 80 instead of 80 HP.
- 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.
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Many fakes have energy symbols that are slightly larger, distorted, or offset from each other.
On fake cards, the text is usually slightly smaller than on real cards and is usually in a different font.
The weakness/resistance's maximum damage addition/subtraction is +/-40, unless the weakness is x2. The retreat cost is no more than 4.
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.
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.
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

Part 2 of 4:

Checking the Colors

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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.
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). Sometimes, the Poké Ball image can also look uneven on the card.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Inspecting the Size and Weight

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

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Testing the Cards

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Then take an old Pokémon card you don't use anymore and make a small rip in that. Compare the rate at which both ripped. If the fake one ripped faster, then it's without a doubt a fake.
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 do not have this.

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Question

Is there someone who can authenticate Pokemon cards online? Can I send them pictures and details of my cards and have them authenticated by someone credible?

Community Answer

Yes. Pokemon company will happily authenticate a card. If it is fake, they will send you a copy of the real one with a booster code for Pokemon tcg.

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I made my own cards on a Pokemon card maker site. Is it okay if we play with just those cards, following normal Pokemon rules?

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If you are battling competitively or trying to sell them, that is a big no-no. But if you make it clear with your opponent that the cards are fake and this is for fun, you might be okay. If you are using fake cards with some friends in a group, it's totally fine.

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Where do they sell fake cards?

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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.

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If you buy a fake card or booster, always return and if that doesn't work, get rid of it. We don't want more fake cards in our system.

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Unless the card is obviously fake, do not instantly assume that the card is fake. Always check the cards before making unsure assumptions.

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Real cards usually contain an illustrator name in the bottom left corner. If they don't have an illustrator name, they are most likely to be fake.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Remember the golden rule: If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. People selling high-value cards for cheap are probably trying to scam you.
If you're unsure if your cards are fake, take them to a TCG shop or game shop and ask. TCG shops are often good at finding fakes.

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Warnings

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.

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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.

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Boosters are not always safe, some people make fake booster packs. One way to authenticate the single booster packs are by making sure that the whole booster pack is covered in colour and not being silver in colour at the ends of the pack.

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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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