As the value of some Beanie Babies goes up, it's no surprise that fake Beanie Babies would start popping up.  Many of the counterfeit Beanies look very much like the real thing, but many have noticeable differences.  Here are some of the things to look for when buying Beanie Babies:

• Counterfeit Ty tags are often slightly smaller with duller colors and the gold may scratch off easily.
• Sometimes the tags are 4th generation on the fake retired Beanie even though the originals have an earlier generation tag.
• The fabrics used are typically cheaper and don't have the same feel or appearance.
• Remember that most counterfeits are modeled after expensive retired Beanies, so if the prices are extremely lower than current market values, then beware!
• Some of the Beanie Babies that have been counterfeited are Bubbles the fish, Grunt the razorback, several of the old face bears, Kiwi, Chops, and Olympic Maples.
• If you are cheated through an online sale, you can report the fraud to www.ftc.gov .  The Federal Trade Commission gets involved in internet fraud.

If you have been cheated on a Beanie Baby sale, please email me and tell me your story.

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