The safest first step is seller accountability. Established Pokémon card shops have a location, contact path, and reputation to protect, although no venue makes every item automatically genuine. Be cautious with prices far below normal, sellers who prevent inspection, listings that use stock images for expensive raw cards, and stories designed to force an immediate decision. Compare the card with a known genuine example from the same set and language because print details vary across releases.
Look at typography, color, texture where applicable, foil behavior, edge construction, dimensions, and print quality together; one internet “test” is rarely decisive. Do not bend, tear, soak, or scratch a card to authenticate it. For a valuable purchase, seek an experienced second opinion or consider an authenticated graded copy, then verify the certification on the grader’s official website. The first-visit card shop guide explains how to evaluate an unfamiliar seller. Keep receipts and clear photos. If the evidence remains uncertain, walk away—the market will offer another copy, while recovering money from an anonymous counterfeit sale may be impossible.