Marketplaces like Cardmarket connect thousands of honest sellers — but the volume also attracts scammers. The patterns below come up again and again. Knowing them in advance is the best protection.
1. The "too good to be true" single
A high-value card (a dual land, a reserved-list staple) listed well below market by a new seller with few ratings. Counterfeiters price to move fast before reports catch up.
Protect yourself: Be suspicious of below-market prices from low-rated sellers. Ask for additional photos, including the card back and a light-test shot.
2. Bulk "collection" lots with a hidden fake
A large lot photographed as a stack, where one or two high-value cards are counterfeit and buried among genuine commons. The overall photo looks legitimate.
Protect yourself: For any valuable card in a lot, ask for individual, in-focus photos of that specific card, front and back.
3. Stock-photo listings
The listing uses a clean reference scan instead of a photo of the actual card. You never see what you're really buying until it arrives.
Protect yourself: Insist on a real photo of the actual card. A seller who won't provide one is a hard pass.
4. "Proxy" cards sold as real
Some sellers produce high-quality "proxies" for casual play and — knowingly or not — they end up resold as genuine. These often pass a glance but fail the print and green dot tests.
Protect yourself: Run the loupe tests on arrival. Document everything with photos in case you need to open a dispute.
If you receive a suspected fake
- Do not alter the card.
- Photograph it thoroughly under good light.
- Open a dispute through the marketplace's protection process promptly.
- Report the seller so others are warned.
We update this page as new tactics surface. Pair it with the detection methods so you can verify before you ever pay.