How to Spot Fake Labubu: 10 Things Collectors Should Check

Because of Labubu’s astronomical rise in global popularity, the market has unfortunately been flooded with high-quality counterfeits. If you are shopping on peer-to-peer marketplaces, knowing how to identify a fake Labubu is essential to protecting your hard-earned money. Here are the top 10 things every collector must check before buying.

What is a Counterfeit Labubu?

Counterfeits are unlicensed replicas produced using cheap chemical plastics, low-quality sewing threads, and scanned, blurry packaging graphics. They hurt the original artists and can emit harmful chemical odors.

Why Collectors Care About Authenticity

Authentic figures retain value, are safe to display in your home, and directly support Kasing Lung and the creative designers who spend months crafting these characters.

10 Things to Look For Before Buying

1. The Anti-Counterfeit QR Code: Official POP MART boxes feature a scratch-off sticker with a unique QR code.
2. Verify the URL: Cloned QR code scans often point to spoofed domains rather than the official popmart.com domain.
3. Box Texture: Real boxes feature crisp, raised textures; fake boxes feel completely flat and glossy.
4. Card Print Clarity: Authentic collector cards have sharp, perfectly legible texts with zero color bleed.
5. Plush Foot Stamps: Authentic plush feet have crisp, perfectly aligned POP MART typography branding.
6. Stitching: Fake plushies feature uneven, loose, or asymmetric thread seams.
7. The Teeth: Labubu’s teeth should be slightly soft, clean rubber—fakes are often hard and poorly painted.
8. Odor: Counterfeit vinyl emits a sharp, heavy industrial plastic smell.
9. Face Symmetry: Fake face alignments are often skewed, distorted, or slightly off-center.
10. Retailer Reputation: Always buy from reputable collectors or verified community platforms.

Price/Availability Considerations

If someone is offering a popular Labubu plush for significantly below its market or retail value, it is almost certainly a counterfeit figure.

Pros and Cons of Buying Certified Authentic

Pros: Guaranteed safety, direct support of artists, maintains future resale value.

Cons: Costs more than cheap bootlegs, requires high vigilance when shopping.

Our Recommendation

Avoid buying unboxed “loose” items from unknown global discount websites. Check out our Best POP MART Blind Boxes for Beginners to find reliable first purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does every genuine figure have a box QR code?
A: Yes, all modern official POP MART releases feature a scratch-off authentication sticker on the box.

Where to Buy

Stick with verified local stockists or check out our complete Labubu Complete Guide for secure store recommendations.

Spotting Fakes in Southeast Asia: A Region-Specific Warning Guide

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s largest markets for counterfeit collectibles and Labubu is one of the top-targeted figures. Knowing which markets, platforms, and pricing signals are region-specific red flags can save you from a very costly mistake.

Trusted Stores in Singapore (Zero Counterfeit Risk)

These outlets guarantee authentic Labubu purchases in Singapore:

• POP MART official stores – ION Orchard, Jewel Changi Airport, VivoCity, Takashimaya
• POP MART Robo Shops – Changi Airport T3 and select MRT station vending machines
• iBox Singapore – authorised multi-brand stockist at Plaza Singapura and Raffles City
• Lazada SG – POP MART Official Store (verify the gold Official badge before purchasing)
• Shopee SG – POP MART Mall Store (Shopee Mall badge guarantees authenticity)

High-Risk Channels by Country

• Singapore: Carousell SG peer-to-peer listings without receipt proof. Facebook Marketplace from unverified profiles. Night market pop-ups near Bugis Street and Chinatown Point are common hotspots for replica toys.
• Malaysia: Open Shopee and Lazada listings without the official POP MART badge are extremely high-risk. Petaling Street flea markets and Jonker Street Melaka stalls have a documented history of Labubu counterfeits.
• Thailand: Chatuchak Weekend Market and MBK Center toy sections carry a high concentration of convincing fakes. Ratchada Night Market wholesale cluster is similarly problematic. Line groups selling “back stock” below retail are almost always fake.
• Philippines: Divisoria market stalls and Greenhills tiangges carry well-documented fakes. Facebook group sellers with no transaction history are high risk. Pricing at PHP 400-700 per Labubu box is a near-guaranteed counterfeit signal.
• Indonesia: Tanah Abang and Glodok market stalls are notorious for convincing replicas. Non-badged Tokopedia and Shopee sellers from Surabaya and Bandung have very high counterfeit prevalence.
• Vietnam: Ben Thanh Market and Dong Xuan Market stalls carry superficially convincing replicas. Online-only Vietnamese Facebook groups with no physical address are extremely unreliable.

How Fakes Enter SEA via Shipping

Most counterfeit Labubu sold in SEA originates from Yiwu and Guangzhou wholesale markets and enters through three main routes:

• Cross-border e-commerce parcels declared as “plastic toys” or “craft supplies” at very low values. A parcel from China with a declared value of USD 2-5 for a “Labubu” is almost certainly counterfeit.
• Informal courier consolidators used by resellers to batch shipments and avoid customs scrutiny. Always ask for a tracking number showing origin country before paying.
• Drop-shipping gray stores on Shopee and Lazada with no physical address, stock photos lifted from POP MART catalogues, and impossibly short delivery windows of 1-3 days from China.

Key rule: If a seller cannot provide a POP MART official receipt, or the product does not arrive in a POP MART-branded shipper box, dispute the purchase immediately.

Customs Red Flags for SEA Buyers

• Parcels declared as “toy parts” or “craft accessories” instead of “collector figure / blind box toy” are often counterfeit shipments avoiding classification scrutiny.
• A declared value under USD 5 for a product retailing at USD 15-25 is a fraud indicator – for both customs authorities and you as the buyer.
• Genuine POP MART boxes always feature a scratch-off QR code on the bottom flap. Scan it with the official POP MART app before payment during any in-person deal. No QR code means no deal.

Counterfeit Pricing Red Flags by Country

If a Labubu blind box is priced at or below these levels, it is almost certainly a fake:

• Singapore: Below SGD 15 per box (fakes typically priced SGD 8-12)
• Malaysia: Below MYR 45 per box (fakes commonly sold at MYR 20-35)
• Thailand: Below THB 350 per box (fakes often priced THB 150-250)
• Philippines: Below PHP 800 per box (fakes commonly sold PHP 300-600)
• Indonesia: Below IDR 180,000 per box (fakes typically IDR 50,000-100,000)

A deal too good to be true in the blind box world always is. Protect your collection by purchasing exclusively from verified sources. Our Blind Box Central Verified Stockist List is updated monthly with trusted SEA partners.

The safest way to avoid fakes entirely is to buy from verified sources. Our Labubu Beginner’s Guide lists trusted stockists across SEA, and our POP MART Beginner’s Guide covers authentic retail pricing so you always know when a deal is too good to be true.