A recently uncovered PSA scam could put Pokemon TCG and other card game collectors at significant risk of buying a legitimate-looking counterfeit card. With some valuable Pokemon TCG cards carrying a price tag of hundreds or even thousands of dollars, fans should make themselves aware of this scam so that they don’t fall victim to it.
Pokemon TCG has become an extremely popular collectible card game over the years, with some of the rarest cards fetching prices as high as millions of dollars. One of the main methods of authenticating cards and evaluating their value is through PSA certification, but that method will now require extra scrutiny on the buyer’s part to ensure they’re not being ripped off.
PSA Scam Spells Trouble for Pokemon TCG Fans
It’s now coming to light that authentic-looking fake PSA authentication labels are being sold online. These label replicas carry all the usual markings one would expect, with the card name, its year of release, a condition grade, and even official PSA certification numbers and a genuine-looking security patch. In rare cases, the labels have been removed from legitimate cards and utilized to sell similar cards at lower grades. However, there are reportedly also multiple sellers on sites like AliExpress selling customizable, fraudulent PSA labels for cards from Pokemon TCG, One Piece, and others, that can be produced and attached to any card an unscrupulous buyer wants.
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Image via The Pokemon Company -
Image via The Pokemon Company
PSA labels are often one of the first indications a potential buyer has for determining the quality and condition of a card, making these labels particularly problematic. Collectors may already be looking up the PSA certifications before making purchases, but with a legitimate code for a nearly-identical card, that may not be enough anymore. Collectors are encouraged to carefully scrutinize the card and the connected PSA webpage to ensure that the pictures match up to the actual card, and to inspect the cases for signs of tampering. Additionally, if an offer simply seems to be too good to be true, it may be best to err on the side of caution.
Unfortunately, this new problem is only compounding an existing counterfeiting problem surrounding Pokemon TCG and other card games. Given their rarity and value, selling even a single high-value counterfeit could mean a big payday for a seller. The problem is big enough that way back in 2021, nearly eight tons of counterfeit Pokemon cards were intercepted by customs. Had they not been caught, those cards would have made their way to Europe, and led to a huge influx of fakes on the market. However, there’s no telling how many fake collectible cards make it past security and into buyers’ hands.
Collecting Pokemon TCG and other card games can be risky these days due to concerns like these. In addition to the risk of buying counterfeit cards, buyers and sellers alike have faced crime when trying to purchase or sell legitimate cards, as stolen cards are nearly impossible to trace. Pokemon TCG, in particular, has been repeatedly targeted by thieves and burglars who have broken into stores, warehouses, and even held up shops at gunpoint in order to get away with their ill-gotten gains. Others have used stolen credit cards to buy Pokemon TCG, leading to the FBI getting involved. Buyers of out-of-print and rare individual cards should try to only buy them from reputable sellers, while fans buying packs and new releases should make sure to get them from official vendors for safety’s sake.
