Labubu fake vs real: how to spot a Lafufu (QR code, teeth, feet, box)
Checked November 13, 2026. How do you tell if a Labubu is fake? Start with the one check POP MART runs itself: scratch the coating off the holographic label on the box, enter the code at m-gss.popmart.com and you should get a "genuine" result. Then look at the doll. US and UK safety regulators say an authentic Labubu has nine teeth, newer editions carry a faint UV stamp on one foot, and the hands, feet and eyes should not come off when tugged. Knock-offs, nicknamed Lafufus, flooded the market at the height of the craze: by POP MART's own count customs agencies seized 7.91 million fake POP MART products between January and mid-August 2025, and UK Border Force stopped 236,000 counterfeit Labubus in the same months.
What is a Lafufu?
A Lafufu is simply a fake Labubu. The "f" comes from "fake" (Sixth Tone, July 11, 2025; The Standard, June 5, 2025), and the nickname stuck so well that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission used it in its August 18, 2025 warning. Lafufu vs Labubu is not a choice between two brands: Labubu is the character from Kasing Lung's THE MONSTERS, made by POP MART, and anything else is a copy, from crude to convincing.
POP MART's own authenticity check
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Find the holographic label with the QR code on the box and scratch off the coating to reveal the code |
| 2 | Scan the QR code or type m-gss.popmart.com yourself, then pick "QR Verify" ("Anti-Counterfeiting Verification" in POP MART's FAQ) |
| 3 | Enter the code and press "Verify" |
| 4 | Read the result: "genuine – First scan" means an authentic product checked for the first time |
POP MART's US authenticity page lists three genuine outcomes: first scan, multiple scans and "exceeded maximum scan count limit". The middle one deserves a second look. In a September 5, 2025 statement POP MART said that if a code shows two or more checks the first time you receive the product, it is likely a fake (The Standard). A brand-new sealed box that comes back "Multiple scans" is a reason to ask the seller questions.
Labubu QR code not scanning, blurry or too small? You do not need the camera: POP MART calls step one "Manual Code Verification", so type the code in. What matters more is where a QR code sends you. Stiftung Warentest (Oct 8, 2025) says a doll is only original if the QR code opens POP MART's official website, and Scripps News reporters found a knock-off whose QR code on the wash label led to an oddly named site. The real check lives on popmart.com.
Labubu fake vs real: the signs on the doll
| Sign | On an authentic Labubu | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Teeth | nine; fakes often have a different number | CPSC (Aug 18, 2025), UK CTSI (Aug 13, 2025), CHOICE (Oct 7, 2025) |
| Feet | newer editions have a subtle UV stamp on one foot | CPSC, CTSI |
| Feet, base | artist's name on the foot on 2024 releases; a logo stamp on the bottom | POP MART (ABC News, Aug 12, 2025; The Standard, Sep 5, 2025) |
| Tag | engraved POP MART tag with a QR code (2024 releases) | POP MART (ABC News) |
| Paint | clean; sloppy paint on eyes, teeth or nose is a red flag | POP MART (ABC News) |
| Colour, stitching | overly vibrant colours and poor stitching point to a fake | CTSI, CHOICE |
| Small parts | hands, feet, eyes and the keyring stay put | UK OPSS, EU Safety Gate, CPSC |
No single sign settles it. CHOICE, the Australian consumer group, bought five fakes and one real doll and found the copies close enough that its tips are "not foolproof"; it also notes that minor paint misprints happen on genuine dolls. Look for several signs together. A counterfeit described by the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards on Oct 1, 2025 had "Popmart" spelled as one word, no QR code and no importer name or address.
How to tell if a Labubu is fake from the box
The authentic box carries a holographic label with the code (POP MART FAQ). CHOICE adds that genuine packaging has a matte finish and a cardboard pull-tab, while fakes are often glossy. In the UK the Intellectual Property Office tells buyers to look for a UKCA or CE mark, a UK contact address and age warnings (Oct 3, 2025). French customs found fakes labelled "pap mort" instead of POP MART and "caca cola" instead of COCA COLA (Sep 1, 2025). Still, a box is not proof: fakes can carry the POP MART name too, and ABC News reported counterfeits resealed inside authentic boxes (Aug 12, 2025).
Fakes of specific series
- Have a Seat: EU Safety Gate alert SR/04108/25 (Ireland, recall from Oct 17, 2025) covers an unbranded "Have A Seat Labubu", described as a "Labubu-like monster", whose eyes come off easily (the alert lists counterfeit status as unknown); OPSS found excess DEHP and DBP phthalates in a fake "Have a Seat The Monsters" doll (Oct 1, 2025).
- Exciting Macaron: Safety Gate SR/04110/25 (Latvia, Oct 23, 2025), a counterfeit whose feet, hands and metal ring detach.
- Coca-Cola: the "caca cola" packaging French customs described.
- Big into Energy: Stiftung Warentest bought genuine Happiness and Loyalty dolls at POP MART's pop-up store on Berlin's Alexanderplatz, tested Happiness for harmful substances and Loyalty for tear strength, and both passed (Sep 30, 2025).
To compare a doll with the official line-up, the ColleX catalogue lists all 55 figures of six Labubu series with names and secrets, including Wacky Mart and Labubu × Hello Kitty and Friends.
How many fakes are out there
| Where, when | Seized | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide, Jan to mid-Aug 2025 | 7.91 million fake POP MART products | POP MART figures (The Standard, Yicai, Sep 5, 2025) |
| UK, Jan to Aug 2025 | 236,000 fake Labubus out of 259,812 toys | Intellectual Property Office, Oct 3, 2025 |
| UK, 2025 to Dec 23 | almost 240,000 fake Labubus | Border Force and IPO, Dec 23, 2025 |
| Seattle, Aug 26, 2025 | 11,134 fakes declared as "LED Bulb" | US Customs and Border Protection (NBC News) |
| France, Aug 1, 2025 | 19,842 fakes in a truck bound for Poland | French customs, Sep 1, 2025 |
Why fakes are a safety problem
The CPSC warned on Aug 18, 2025 that Lafufus "pose a serious risk of choking and death to young children" because they break apart into small pieces. In UK testing, 21 of 28 counterfeit toys failed safety checks (IPO, Oct 3, 2025). Sweden's Chemicals Agency KEMI tested nine Labubu plush toys in autumn and winter 2025 (Enforcement 8/26, updated Oct 26, 2026): five had too much phthalate in the plastic of the face, and KEMI judged all five to be counterfeit; of the five whose labelling it checked, four had no importer name or contact details and one had no CE mark. POP MART itself marks its Labubus as not intended for children under three (Stiftung Warentest).
Where to buy a real Labubu
POP MART guarantees everything sold on its website, in its stores, from ROBOSHOP vending machines and on other authorised platforms (POP MART FAQ). A Big into Energy, Have a Seat or Exciting Macaron box costs £18 in POP MART's UK store and €20 in its EU store (Nov 13, 2026); prices for the other series are in our article on POP MART's Q3 report and Labubu prices. The CPSC calls deep discounts a red flag, but price alone proves nothing: in Palermo, Italy, shops sold fakes as originals for about €50 on average (AGI, Nov 10, 2025), only slightly below what they charged for genuine dolls.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell if a Labubu is fake?
Use POP MART's code: scratch the holographic label on the box, enter the code at m-gss.popmart.com and look for a "genuine" result. On the doll, check for nine teeth, the foot stamp, clean paint and parts that do not come loose. No single sign is proof on its own.
How many teeth does a real Labubu have?
Nine. The US CPSC and the UK Chartered Trading Standards Institute both gave that number in August 2025 warnings; fakes often have a different count.
What should I do if my Labubu QR code is not scanning?
Type the code in manually at m-gss.popmart.com under "QR Verify", which is exactly how POP MART describes the check. Be wary of any QR code that does not lead to popmart.com.
What is the difference between a Lafufu and a Labubu?
Labubu is the original character made by POP MART. Lafufu is the nickname for fakes, with the "f" from "fake"; even the CPSC uses it.
Can you check a Labubu without the box?
Not officially, because the verification code is on the box. Compare the doll with the official photos of its series: nine teeth, the UV foot stamp on newer editions, tidy paint and secure parts.
Can I trade a spare Labubu on ColleX?
Yes, where the ColleX Market is open. On the series page, give your duplicate a Have mark with how many you hold, and give missing figures a Want mark. ColleX lines your lists up against other collectors' lists and shows who can swap; the details are agreed in chat. ColleX does not authenticate dolls, so run the POP MART code check before you swap.
Sources: popmart.com (Authenticity Check page and FAQ, read Nov 13, 2026); POP MART statement of Sep 5, 2025 (The Standard, Yicai); CPSC, Aug 18, 2025 (NBC News, Global News, KSAT); CTSI, Aug 13, 2025; UK IPO, Oct 3 and Dec 23, 2025; OPSS, Aug 18 and Oct 1, 2025; EU Safety Gate SR/04108/25, SR/04110/25; CHOICE, Oct 7, 2025; Stiftung Warentest, Sep 30 and Oct 8, 2025; ABC News, Aug 12, 2025; Scripps News; CBP via NBC News; French customs, Sep 1, 2025; AGI, Nov 10, 2025; Sixth Tone, Jul 11, 2025; The Standard, Jun 5, 2025; KEMI, Enforcement 8/26 (Oct 26, 2026).