How to Know If Pokémon Cards Are Fake

Author Info

Updated: January 13, 2020

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 of 4:
Checking the Display

  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 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.
  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 of 4:
Checking the 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). Sometimes, the Poké Ball image can also look uneven on the card.

Part 3 of 4:
Inspecting the 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 of 4:
Testing the Cards

  1. 1
    Make a small tear in it if you are certain it is a fake. 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.
  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 do not have this.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • 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.
  • Question
    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?
    Community Answer
    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.
  • Question
    Where do they sell fake cards?
    Community Answer
    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.
  • Question
    How can I tell if I buy in the internet, that the cards I get aren't fake?
    Community Answer
    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.
  • Question
    How can you tell if a "full art" card is fake?
    Community Answer
    Traditionally, full art cards usually have a brown or rust-colored border. If it is yellow, it is likely a fake.
  • Question
    Why are fake cards such a problem?
    Community Answer
    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.
  • Question
    How do I know if the ex Pokemon card is real?
    Community Answer
    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.
  • Question
    Is my Pokemon card fake if it does not have an equal cut?
    Community Answer
    Probably. Most fake cards have cheap edges around the cards and often arrive to the consumer with worn or bent edges.
  • Question
    Do people still sell fake Pokemon cards today?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they do. There are still Pokemon card collectors today, and there are still occasional scammers trying to take advantage of them.
  • Question
    i have a feeling that Timburr is fake because it looks very cartoony. Is it?
    Community Answer
    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.
Show more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left



      • 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.
      • 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.
      • Unless the card is obviously fake, do not instantly assume that the card is fake. Always check the cards before making unsure assumptions.
      • Buy cards in the sealed packaging instead of buying individual cards outside of the package. But if you are buying individual cards outside the package, one way to authenticate the card is to check if the buyer is a trusted dealer and if the seller of the card agrees to refund the exact amount and accept returns should the card be fake.
      • 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.
      • 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.
      • Before trading with a person, ask them where they got it and on how much they bought for it.
      • 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".
      • 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.
      • 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.
      • Always check if the card is more blurry than the real card.
      • Getting cards that are bought in big chain stores are real.
      • 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!
      • Don't buy cards from dollar stores or street vendors.Those shops try to get money that way.
      • 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.
      • Cards that have thick yellow marks on edges are fake.
      • If you get Ultimates or two Pokémon together, then it's definitely a fake.
      • Most ex-Pokemon cards should shine. If it doesn't, then it is fake.
      • Fake cards are typically smoother and shinier (unless you have a hollow, reverse hollow, or a new card) than real cards due to the material they use to make these cards.
      • Don't use Pokémon maker websites.
      • Real card packs will absolutely have the online code. If they do not, then they're fake.
      • Remember that this applies not only to buying cards, but also trading.
      • 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.
      • 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 colour. Fake cards can also be spotted when the pokeball is either upside down or the colour is too light, wordings on a fake is usually darker than compared to a real one which is lighter in colour
      • Also, on the back of the card, there is an approximate 1 centimeter (0.39 in) by 1.5 centimeter (0.6 in) rectangle-shaped spot where the color is a lighter blue than the rest of the background. It is to the right of the red half of the Poké Ball. On a real card, that area should have a few darker splotches. If those are non-existent, your card is probably a fake.
      • Fake cards often have a card feel on the back. Real ones feel like plastic.
      • All real Pokémon cards have a rough surface on the back which makes your finger warm if rubbed (not thumbs).
      • If you buy packaged cards that fit one of these criteria (which sometimes can happen), contact Pokémon USA".
      • Firstly and most obviously, is the look of the card. You will notice one or a few of the following differences:
        • The energy symbol: on a fake card, the energy symbol (in the top right corner) often looks bigger, or out of proportion.
        • Card font: fake cards will often use different sized text, or even a completely different font.
        • Card colour: the colour of a fake card often vary slightly from a genuine card. It is usually darker in colour at the back of the card compared to a genuine card.
        • Card border: the border colour of a fake card will often vary from a genuine card. Sometimes fake “Lv X”, “Legend”, “Prime”, or “EX” cards will have a yellow border. Lv X, Legend, Prime or Ex cards should always have a shiny silver border.
      • The highest amount of hit points in a legal Pokémon card is 250 HP which can be found on some Pokémon EX and GX cards. A card with an HP higher than that is likely to be fake.
        • There is a promo Shadow Lugia jumbo card with 300 HP released in 2006 however, but that card has since been declared illegal in official tournaments.
      • Fake cards are often really smooth or either really rough at the back.

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!


      • 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.
      • 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.
      • On almost all Pokémon cards, the attacks don't exist, even if they are real cards - so be aware of that.
      • 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.

      About This Article

      wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 128 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has also been viewed 838,173 times.
      184 votes - 87%
      Co-authors: 128
      Updated: January 13, 2020
      Views: 838,173
      Article SummaryX

      To know if Pokémon cards are fake, look for spelling mistakes or ornate borders as a clue that the cards aren't authentic. Also, compare the energy symbols to other cards since a fake card will often have a symbol that’s too large or distorted. If possible, check the box since a missing trademark or a phrase about it being “pre-released trading cards” are signs of counterfeit cards. Finally, take a close look at the edge of the card since a real one will have a very thin sheet of black between the two sides, which fake cards won’t have. To learn how to look at the attacks and HP to determine if the card is fake, keep reading!

      Did this summary help you?

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 838,173 times.

      Did this article help you?