Matthew BaileyI have posted this before, but as we are reaching the time of year when lots of people will be looking for gifts and stocking fillers online (especially as some shops have even started their Black Friday sales), I thought it was worth updating and reposting this guide, all about trying to avoid fakes and counterfeits this Christmas.
I have rewritten and tidied up everything (there were quite a few grammar and spelling errors last year), but the “New for 2026” stuff is at the bottom.
Unfortunately, counterfeit board games are still a major problem, and with increasingly convincing fake websites, AI-generated adverts and online marketplaces, it isn’t always easy to tell what is genuine.
Here are some things worth looking out for.
Chinese Import Shops
If you’re shopping from websites such as Temu, Wish or AliExpress, be particularly careful when buying well-known branded board games.
There’s a reason you might find something advertised as Dobble or UNO for only a couple of pounds when the genuine version costs considerably more. Often, these are unofficial copies or outright counterfeits.
It can be tempting to think, “Oh, it doesn’t matter,” but I promise it does.
I once played Skip-Bo with a fake deck, and it was dreadful. The cards were thin, slippery and badly cut, and it completely ruined the experience.
You wouldn’t buy a bootleg DVD for a Christmas movie night (ok these days you wouldn’t buy a DVD most likely, but you know what I mean), so don’t settle for a bootleg board game either. It’s definitely not something you want to give as a gift.
That isn’t to say all games imported from China are fake. Plenty of fantastic, legitimate board games come from Chinese publishers and manufacturers, including games we have reviewed here. The problem is sellers offering suspiciously cheap copies of established branded products.
Generally if its coming from Temu, Wish or AliExpress, it is probably a cheap fake copy.
Amazon and Online Marketplaces
Even Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace can be risky.
Third-party sellers on Amazon are not necessarily selling genuine products, even if the item is eligible for Prime delivery. Amazon does have rules and systems designed to prevent counterfeits, but that doesn’t mean fakes never slip through.
A lot of counterfeit card games and board games also appear on second-hand marketplaces, so it pays to be careful.
Before you click “Buy Now”, check:
- Who is selling and dispatching the item? “Sold by Amazon” is generally a safer bet than an unfamiliar third-party seller.
- Where is the item coming from? Be particularly cautious if a suspiciously cheap branded game is being shipped internationally.
- The listing photographs. Do they match the official box, or are they blurry, cropped or strangely lit? On eBay, look for actual photographs rather than just stock images. Check BoardGameGeek or a review on Little Board Gamers to see what the box should look like.
- The reviews. If you see people mentioning cheap copies, poor-quality components, missing inserts or unusual packaging, steer clear.
- The seller’s history. A seller with lots of positive feedback is reassuring, but look at what they have actually been selling. A newly created account suddenly offering dozens of cheap copies of popular games is worth questioning.
Also, remember that Amazon sometimes groups reviews from different versions or editions of a product together. Five-star reviews don’t necessarily mean the exact version you’re ordering is genuine.
Facebook Marketplace and eBay can be fantastic places for bargains, and there are plenty of genuine second-hand games out there. Just check the photographs, seller feedback and description carefully, and pay through the platform wherever possible.
eBay also has its Money Back Guarantee, which covers most eligible purchases if an item doesn’t arrive or isn’t as described. You generally have 30 days from delivery to report a problem.
General Tips to Stay Safe
Retailer Reputation
Stick to well-known, trusted retailers like Zatu, Chaos Cards, Thirsty Meeples or Waterstones.
If you’re shopping on an unfamiliar website, look for clear contact details, a genuine business address, proper returns information and independent customer reviews.
Don’t assume that a professional-looking website means it’s legitimate. It’s surprisingly easy to create something that looks like an established online shop.
Amazon is rarely the cheapest anyway. BoardGamePrices is a good place to compare prices quickly.
Use PayPal or a credit card where possible, as these can offer additional protection depending on the transaction. For qualifying credit card purchases costing over £100, Section 75 protection may also apply.
Price
If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Board game prices are generally fairly consistent across official retailers, allowing for sales and clearance discounts.
A £45 game selling for £9.99 isn’t necessarily a Christmas miracle. It could well be a counterfeit.
Packaging
Check the logos. Fake boxes often omit the publisher logo altogether or use odd fonts and colours. Fake copies of Wingspan, for instance, are really obvious for this.
You might also notice:
- Unusual spelling or strange translations on the back.
- Low-resolution printing or fuzzy artwork.
- Missing foil, embossing or other finishes shown on the official version.
- An unexpectedly different box style or size.
- Poorly printed or inconsistent publisher information.
- Packaging that doesn’t match any official edition of the game.
Some legitimate international editions will have different languages, packaging or components, so always compare like for like.
If your game turns up in completely different packaging from the version advertised, that’s certainly something worth investigating.
Components
The difference is often in the feel. Counterfeit versions frequently have:
- Cheap, thin cards that stick together or fray easily.
- Tokens that are off-centre or badly cut.
- Hollow, lightweight or oddly coloured plastic pieces.
- Missing or incorrect rulebooks.
- Poorly printed boards or cards with incorrect colours.
Games like UNO, Azul, Ticket to Ride, Wingpan, Dobble and Codenames are popular targets for counterfeiters, so it’s worth double-checking before gifting them.
Inserts and Storage
Many modern games come with a specific plastic or cardboard insert, tray or storage arrangement.
Counterfeits sometimes arrive with components rattling around in a plain box or with a flimsy cardboard divider.
Obviously, not every genuine board game comes with a fancy insert, but if the official version has one and your copy doesn’t, that could be a warning sign.
New for 2026: Extra Things to Watch Out For
AI-Generated Adverts and Fake Product Photography
This is becoming an increasingly important thing to watch out for.
Don’t assume that a game is genuine just because the advert has professional-looking photography, a convincing website or even a video showing someone supposedly playing it.
AI-generated images and digitally manipulated photographs can make scam adverts look far more convincing than they used to.
Look closely at the box artwork, component designs and any writing in the pictures.
If something seems odd, compare it against photographs on the publisher’s official website or BoardGameGeek.
TikTok Shop and Social Media Adverts
Social media is full of adverts promoting incredibly cheap games.
Some are legitimate retailers advertising genuine discounts, but others are simply directing you to questionable sellers or fake websites.
TikTok Shop, Facebook and Instagram can all feature genuine products, but you need to check who is actually selling them.
Just because a product is being promoted by an influencer, appears in a popular video or has thousands of likes doesn’t mean it’s authentic.
Be especially cautious about adverts for expensive games being sold for a fraction of their normal price.
Vinted and Other Second-Hand Websites
Vinted is increasingly popular for buying and selling games, but sadly counterfeit copies can turn up there too.
Something worth remembering is that the person selling the game very likely might not even realise it’s fake themselves.
They might have received it as a present, bought it second-hand or picked it up cheaply elsewhere.
VERY IMPORTANT: Vinted’s standard buyer protection generally gives you just TWO DAYS from the delivery notification to report a problem.
This is particularly important at Christmas.
If you buy a game in November, leave it wrapped up and don’t discover it’s counterfeit until Christmas Day, you could be well outside the usual window for requesting a refund through Vinted.
Check your purchases as soon as they arrive, take photographs if anything seems wrong, and report problems immediately through the app.
Google Shopping and Sponsored Search Results
Just because a shop appears at the top of Google doesn’t mean it’s legitimate.
Scammers can pay to advertise fake shops, just like genuine businesses do.
Look carefully at the actual website address rather than simply trusting the name displayed in the advert.
Look up when the website was registered and if its only been around for weeks its likely a scam.
If you’re unfamiliar with the retailer, do a little research before handing over your money.
Again, ALWAYS PAY WITH PAYPAL OR A CREDIT CARD
Fake Closing Down Sales
You regularly see adverts for board game shops supposedly closing down and wishing their customers well after years of trading.
These can be scams designed to take your money before disappearing.
Some even copy the branding, photographs and layouts of genuine board game retailers.
Be particularly suspicious if a website claims to be selling absolutely everything at 70–90% off.
Check Trustpilot, search for the retailer independently and make sure you’re actually visiting the genuine website.
Misleading Miniature and Travel Versions
Another thing to watch out for is games that are advertised using photographs of the full-sized original but turn out to be miniature, travel-sized or completely different versions.
Sometimes these are legitimate smaller editions. Other times they’re unofficial copies.
Before ordering, check the box dimensions and contents carefully, especially if the price seems unusually low.
A photograph of a full-sized game doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what will arrive.
Fake Reviews and Seller Ratings
Don’t rely entirely on five-star reviews.
Reviews can be manipulated, and some listings contain feedback that doesn’t even relate to the exact item being sold.
Look for customer photographs, recent reviews and repeated complaints about poor printing or incorrect components.
If a seller has hundreds of glowing reviews but almost no genuine-looking photographs, it’s worth being cautious.
Bundle Deals
If a site is offering a stack of three or four big-name games for the price of one, investigate carefully.
There are genuine bundle discounts, but a deal offering several expensive games for next to nothing is a massive warning sign.
Language Editions
This isn’t a scam, but it’s an easy mistake to make that some imported games are perfectly genuine but aren’t English-language editions.
If the listing doesn’t clearly state that it’s English, you might receive one with non-English cards or rules.
Double-check Amazon listings in particular, as sometimes it isn’t immediately obvious that the cheaper version is an Italian, German or other international edition.
This doesn’t make the game fake, but it could still be a disappointing Christmas present if the recipient can’t read it.
What to Do if You Find a Fake
If you realise you’ve been sent a counterfeit:
- Request a refund immediately through the platform you bought it from. Don’t delay, especially with marketplaces that have short reporting windows.
- Take photographs of the box, components, packaging and any obvious differences from the genuine version. Keep the original listing details and order confirmation.
- Report the seller or listing to help stop other people being caught out.
- Contact your payment provider if the seller or platform won’t help. Depending on how you paid, you may be able to use PayPal Buyer Protection, chargeback or credit card protection.
- Don’t sell it on to someone else. Counterfeit games may be made with lower-quality materials and may not meet the same safety standards as genuine products.
If you’re unsure, post a few photographs in the group. I’m happy to help you check whether it’s genuine.
And please don’t feel embarrassed if you’ve accidentally bought a fake. Some counterfeits are incredibly convincing, and even experienced board gamers can struggle to tell them apart.
Let’s make sure everyone is unwrapping real, high-quality games under the tree this year, not cheap knock-offs that spoil the fun.
Supporting legitimate publishers, independent game shops and trusted retailers helps keep this brilliant hobby going, and ultimately means we all get to enjoy better games.
Have a fantastic Christmas, everyone, and happy gaming 
