Spotting fake trading cards and fake Funko Pops

Counterfeits follow demand. The more popular a card or figure, the more likely someone has faked it. Fakes have improved over the years, so no single test is foolproof. Instead, use several checks together and be most careful when a deal looks unusually good.

Fake trading cards

Compare with a genuine card

The best tool you own is a genuine card from the same set or era. Hold them side by side. Fakes often get small things wrong: fonts that are slightly too bold or thin, symbols in the wrong place, colours that are too saturated or too washed out, or a back design that is the wrong shade.

Print quality

Look closely with a loupe or a phone camera on macro mode. Genuine cards are printed with a fine, regular dot pattern. Many fakes look blurry or pixelated at the edges of text, as if they were scanned. Holo cards are another giveaway: a fake holo pattern may be wrong for the card, spread across the whole card when it should only be in the artwork, or missing altogether. Modern special cards often have a textured surface that cheap fakes lack.

Weight and feel

Fake cards frequently feel different: too glossy, too flimsy or too stiff. A small digital scale that reads to a hundredth of a gram can help, but only when you compare against genuine cards of the same type, as weights vary between eras and finishes.

The light test

Genuine cards are made of layered card stock that lets only a limited amount of light through. Shine a phone torch through the card in a dim room and compare with a genuine one. A card that glows much brighter, or much darker, deserves a closer look. Treat this as a clue, not proof, as some genuine cards behave differently.

Fake Funko Pops

• The box. Genuine boxes have sharp printing, clean fonts and consistent logos. Blurry images, spelling mistakes, odd colours or flimsy card are warning signs.
• The number and window. Check the figure number and name against an official checklist or a well-known collector database. The plastic window should fit neatly.
• Stickers. Exclusive stickers on fakes are often the wrong size, shade or font, or poorly cut. A rare sticker on a common figure is a reason to research.
• The figure. Look for messy paint, misaligned parts and a cheap, shiny finish. Genuine figures usually carry small production markings, often on the underside of a foot or the head.

Buy from reputable sellers

The most effective protection happens before you pay. Buy from established shops and sellers with a long, genuine feedback history. On marketplaces, ask for photos of the exact item from several angles, including the back and the underside, in daylight. Be wary of stock photos, prices far below everyone else, sellers who want to move the conversation off the platform, and anyone who asks for a bank transfer or a "friends and family" payment.

Our guide to buying collectibles safely in the UK explains your rights and payment protection if something goes wrong.

General information only. Product contents, rules and policies change, so check the current details with the manufacturer or seller. Brand names are trademarks of their owners; this guide is independent and sells nothing.