Fake Sports & Pokémon Cards Are Rising | Trading Card Authentication by LegitApp | LegitApp | Your Trusted Partner in Luxury Authentication

The Trading Card Market Has a Trust Problem

Fake trading cards are becoming one of the biggest risks in the collectible card market. According to PSA’s 2025 Fraud Report, the company intercepted over $200 million in projected fraudulent collectibles in one year. That includes counterfeit cards, altered cards, fake autographs, and other forms of hobby fraud.

The risk is no longer limited to rare vintage cards or famous “grail” pieces. More fake cards are now appearing in mid-tier, high-volume cards that move quickly through online marketplaces, live selling platforms, card shows, and private deals. For collectors and sellers, this means one thing: authentication is no longer optional. It is a necessary step to protect value, trust, and reputation.

The Most Counterfeited Cards Are…

PSA’s list of the Top 10 Counterfeited Cards by Volume shows how wide the problem has become. The No.1 card on the list is the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57, one of the most iconic basketball cards ever made. But Pokémon dominates much of the ranking as well. Multiple Charizard cards appear in the top positions, including 2014 Pokémon XY Flashfire M Charizard EX, 1999 Pokémon Charizard #4 Holo 1st Edition, and 2016 Pokémon XY Generations M Charizard EX.

This tells us two things. First, counterfeiters still target iconic vintage and sports cards because buyers understand their value. Second, Pokémon has become one of the biggest fraud targets in the modern card market. In particular, English Pokémon chase cards, Mega Charizard EX cards, 20th Anniversary-era Charizard cards, 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard, and Van Gogh Pikachu are all cards buyers should inspect carefully before purchasing.

Pokémon Cards Are a Major Counterfeit Target

Pokémon cards are now one of the biggest targets in the trading card fraud market. Characters like Charizard, Pikachu, Gengar, Umbreon, Rayquaza, and Mewtwo have global recognition, strong demand, and active resale markets.

This is an important reminder for collectors. Many people still think fake cards mainly target classics like 1st Edition Charizard, Michael Jordan rookies, or Mickey Mantle cards. But the data shows that modern Pokémon chase cards are also becoming major targets.

The lesson is simple: a card does not need to be vintage to be risky. If it is popular, valuable, and easy to resell, it will become a counterfeit target.

Authenticate Your Trading Cards with LegitApp

LegitApp now offers professional authentication for trading cards, including sports cards, Pokémon cards, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh! and more. Whether your card is graded or ungraded, each trading card authentication costs only USD $4 and comes with LegitApp’s Financial Guarantee for added protection.

Our service is built for collectors, resellers, and marketplaces who want to buy, sell, and trade with confidence. Before your next card purchase, sale, or trade, submit it to LegitApp and let our experts help you verify its authenticity.