You finally found it. That one specific Labubu from the "Exciting Mischief" or "The Monsters" series you've been hunting for months. The price isn't suspiciously low—it’s just low enough to make you think you’re getting a deal, but high enough to feel "legit." You hit buy. Then the package arrives, and something feels... off. Maybe the fur is a bit too "plastic-y," or the box art looks like it was printed on a home inkjet from 2005.
Honestly, the bootleg market for POP MART collectibles is exploding right now. Kasing Lung’s creation has gone from a niche art toy to a global obsession, and where there is hype, there are scammers. Knowing how to tell if a Labubu is fake isn’t just about being a snob; it’s about not throwing your hard-earned money at a piece of low-quality PVC that smells like industrial chemicals.
The First Red Flag is Often the Smell
It sounds weird. I know. But if you open that foil bag and get hit with a sharp, stinging scent of cheap rubber or heavy adhesive, you’ve likely got a fake. Genuine POP MART products are made with high-quality PVC and ABS plastics. While they might have a "new toy" smell, it shouldn't make your eyes water.
Bootleggers use the cheapest materials possible to keep margins high. This often results in "off-gassing," where the chemicals used in the molding process leak out of the porous plastic. If your Labubu smells like a fresh coat of asphalt, be very worried.
The weight is another dead giveaway. Hold a real Labubu in one hand and a suspected fake in the other. Genuine figures have a surprising heft to them. They feel solid. Fakes are often hollower or made of thinner plastic, making them feel light and "toy-like" in the worst way possible. If it feels like a prize from a 25-cent crane machine, it probably is.
Check the Box (And No, The QR Code Isn't Enough)
People tell you to just scan the QR code. That’s bad advice. Or at least, it’s incomplete advice. Scammers have gotten incredibly good at creating fake "verification" websites. You scan the code, it takes you to a site that looks exactly like POP MART’s official page, and it says "Authentic." But check the URL. Is it actually popmart.com? Or is it something like pop-mart-verify.net or some other garbled nonsense?
Always look for the holographic sticker. On a real box, this sticker is crisp. If you tilt it, the colors shift smoothly. On many fakes, the holographic effect is dull, or the sticker is just a flat, printed image meant to look like a hologram.
Printing Quality Matters
Look at the font. POP MART has very specific typography. On counterfeit boxes, the text is often slightly blurry—a sign that they scanned a real box and reprinted it. Check the edges of the logos. Are they sharp? Or do they look a bit fuzzy?
Also, look at the "teeth" of the character on the box art. Labubu’s signature grin is very specific. On fakes, the spacing of the teeth is often uneven, or the colors are slightly desaturated. Sometimes the box material itself is a giveaway; real POP MART boxes use thick, premium cardstock with a matte finish. Fakes often use flimsy, glossy cardboard that creases easily.
Let’s Talk About the Fur and the Face
If you’re buying a plush Labubu—like the insanely popular "The Monsters - Fall in Wild" series—the fur is the ultimate "tell."
Authentic Labubu plushies use a specific type of synthetic fiber that feels soft, almost like high-end faux fur. It has a certain "bounce" to it. If you rub your thumb against the grain, it should feel consistent. Fake plushies often use a "scratchy" material. It looks shiny in a cheap way under direct light.
The Eyes and Nose
The eyes of a real Labubu are perfectly set. They shouldn't have gaps between the "eyeball" and the fur. Look closely at the reflection in the eyes. Genuine ones are polished to a high mirror shine. Fakes often have tiny scratches or "molding lines" on the plastic eyes because the factory didn't bother to polish them.
✨ Don't miss: All Flags of Germany: What Most People Get Wrong About the Black, Red, and Gold
And the nose? It should be centered. Perfectly. Scammers often rush the assembly line, leading to "wonky" facial features. If your Labubu looks like it’s had one too many drinks and its nose is drifting toward its ear, you’ve got a bootleg.
Why the "Card" is Your Best Friend
Inside every blind box is an ID card. For many collectors, the card is just as important as the figure.
- Thickness: A real card is sturdy, almost like a high-quality playing card or a thin credit card. Fakes are often thin and floppy.
- Color Accuracy: Compare the card's color to the figure. They should match perfectly. On fakes, the card is often a shade or two darker or lighter than the toy.
- The Cut: Look at the corners. Are they perfectly rounded? Are the edges smooth? Counterfeiters often use dull blades to cut their cards, leaving "burrs" or rough paper edges.
The Feet Don't Lie
Flip that monster over. Look at the bottom of the feet.
Every genuine Labubu will have clear, crisp branding on the soles. It should say "POP MART" and "Kasing Lung" (or the appropriate artist/copyright info). On a real one, this engraving is deep and the lettering is sharp. On a fake, the engraving is often shallow, making the letters look soft or "melted."
Sometimes, fakes will even have typos. I’ve seen "POP MART" spelled as "POP MARTT" or "Kasing Lung" spelled as "Kasing Long." It sounds ridiculous, but when you're churning out thousands of fakes in a basement factory, typos happen.
Price vs. Reality
I’ll be blunt: If you find a Labubu Macaron series for $15 when it's retailing for $40 and reselling for $90, it’s fake. Period. There is no "secret supplier" or "factory overstock." POP MART runs a very tight ship. They don't have "backdoor" sales.
The resale market is brutal. If a deal feels too good to be true, it’s because the person on the other end is hoping your desire for a "steal" overrides your common sense. Check the seller's history. Do they have 500 copies of a "sold out" limited edition? That’s a massive red flag.
What to Do if You Bought a Fake
If the worst happens and you realize you've been duped, don't just suck it up.
- Document everything: Take side-by-side photos of the fake vs. a real one (use official photos from the POP MART website for comparison).
- Open a dispute: If you bought through eBay, Mercari, or a credit card, you have protections. Use the phrase "Counterfeit item" or "Significantly not as described."
- Report the seller: Help the community by getting these shops shut down.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Purchase
Before you hand over any money, follow this quick checklist to ensure your Labubu is the real deal.
- Request "tagged" photos: If buying from a private seller, ask them to take a photo of the figure next to a piece of paper with their username and today's date. This proves they actually have the item.
- Check the foil bag: If the figure is "opened" but still has the bag, check the bag's seal. Real POP MART bags are machine-sealed with a very specific patterned edge.
- Verify the App: Download the official POP MART app and use their built-in scanner. Never trust a third-party QR scanner app that might redirect you to a malicious site.
- Join a community: Groups on Facebook or Reddit (like r/PopMart) are filled with experts who can do a "LC" (Legit Check) for you in minutes.
Understanding how to tell if a Labubu is fake is a skill that gets better with time. Once you’ve held a few real ones, you’ll start to "feel" the quality difference immediately. Don't let the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) lead you into a bad purchase. Take your time, inspect the details, and keep your collection authentic.