What to do if you bought fake Pokémon cards on eBay
If you bought fake Pokémon cards on eBay, file an “item not as described” claim immediately and check eBay’s current deadline for trading card returns.
Counterfeit cards are prohibited even when a listing disclosed them as fake.
Before returning anything, save the listing and messages and photograph the card, parcel, shipping label, and packaging.
Preserve the purchase record before it changes
Save the complete listing, including its title, description, seller photographs, condition notes, and order details. Keep copies of every message with the seller; a listing can be revised or disappear after a dispute begins.
Photograph the parcel as received, the shipping label, all packaging, and the front, back, and edges of each card in even light. Do not clean, peel, mark, or otherwise alter the card, because its received condition is part of the evidence.
Choose the claim that describes the problem
On eBay, a counterfeit trading card is an “item not as described” issue, not a change-of-mind return. Counterfeits are not permitted even if the seller used words such as “proxy,” “replica,” or “custom” to disclose that the item was not genuine.
Trading card claim windows can be short. Open the claim promptly, read the current deadline shown for the order, and follow the instructions attached to that case rather than relying on an old general returns guide.
State what you observed without inventing certainty
Give a short, factual account of the mismatch between the listing and the item. Identify the exact card the listing claimed to offer, then describe observable differences such as incorrect text, print registration, foil behavior, surface finish, or construction.
If your conclusion comes from comparison rather than a formal decision by a grading or authentication company, say that you believe the item is counterfeit and explain why. A precise description is more useful than claiming a test proves more than it can.
Keep the return inside the case
Do not mail the card until the case provides return instructions. When a return is authorized, photograph how you pack the same card and retain the tracking receipt and delivery record.
Keep communication and any refund inside eBay’s process. If the seller argues, repeat the material mismatch concisely and use the escalation path available in the case rather than moving the dispute to private messages or an off-platform payment.
Do not damage the card to support the claim
A rip, cut, scratch, or peeled corner destroys condition and can complicate a return. The light test, texture test, and an exposed dark inner layer can each add context, but none should be described as a standalone proof of authenticity.
Use non-destructive photographs and comparisons against the same set, language, variant, and year. If an edge was already damaged when it arrived, document it closely without widening the damage.
Frequently asked questions
Can an eBay seller list a fake card if the listing says it is fake?
No. eBay prohibits counterfeit items even when the listing discloses that they are replicas, proxies, or fakes.
Which eBay return reason applies to a counterfeit card?
Use “item not as described” and explain the material differences between the listing and the card received. Act immediately and check the current deadline shown for that trading card order.
Should I rip the card to prove it is counterfeit?
No. Ripping the card destroys it, changes the condition in which it arrived, and is unnecessary for documenting an item-not-as-described claim.
What if the seller offers a refund outside eBay?
Keep the claim, messages, return, and refund within eBay’s process so the order record and platform protections remain connected.
Turned out to be fake? rarvo pays for it.
rarvo buys verified counterfeit and genuine card evidence from collectors. Accepted submissions also get rarvo’s read on the card — an advisory opinion, not a certification.
See what rarvo pays