How to Tell Real Pokémon Cards from Fake Ones to Avoid Being Duped

Previously, when buying Pokémon cards, most people were not troubled by concerns about authenticity because they were regarded as ordinary children’s toys. However, today the value of Pokémon cards has changed dramatically and they are no longer seen merely as children’s toys. Some of these colourful monster cards are now considered valuable, as they are deemed rare and much sought after. As demand has surged, counterfeit Pokémon cards have begun to appear, produced by unscrupulous individuals looking to profit from the hobby. The existence of counterfeit cards is often misleading to collectors, especially those new to the hobby. Consequently, many new collectors were duped and suffered losses amounting to millions of rupiah because they received fake cards. Accordingly, a number of collectors who also run Pokémon card shops have offered tips on how to distinguish counterfeit cards from genuine ones. A collector and owner of a Pokémon card shop named Sultan Pokebab Card Shop in Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta, WY (38), said many people are duped into buying counterfeit cards because they do not know how to tell them apart. For seasoned collectors, distinguishing genuine from fake cards is simply a matter of looking at the fibres and the card’s appearance. But for greater certainty, tools can be used to examine the fibres of the cards. “The fibres of the card differ, the colours differ, and the lettering differs. To check authenticity nowadays people use tools that emit UV light,” WY said when contacted by Kompas.com, on Monday (18 May 2026). He also advised that new collectors should preferably buy cards directly at events or via Cash On Delivery (COD) rather than online. With COD, collectors can inspect, handle and receive the card before paying.