If you’ve spent any time searching for those hard to find figures from previous releases then you’ve definitely come across some fake, knock off, cheaper copies of the Star Black Series from Hasbro.

Here’s a few pointers from us on spotting a fake.

Price

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Rarely will you find a sought after figure for less than £40 on eBay, something like Commander Cody will be in excess of £60. If you are unsure then ask lots of questions or for extra pictures. Failing that, stick to retail websites and stores.

Packaging

With some of the first wave of boxes, you can spot fake boxes by slight colour variations. Look closely at the pictures and compare them with those on a retailers website. Below is a good side-by-side comparison. And if the box says Star Wals, well, I’m not sure we need to say it.

Finish

If you’ve already got one, or just some really clear pictures then you’ll be able to see small signs that a knock off is clearly from the dark side of the Force.

Check out the pictures below for some telltale signs…

Here’s a knock-off Clone Captain (left) next to our real Captain (right)

If you look closely at the image above then you’ll notice that the knock-off (KO) is a slightly duller white and the red lines aren’t quite as sharp as those on the real figure. You can also see the slight smudge on the four red insignia dots.

Here’s a close up on the above image where you can see the colour differences slightly better. notice the dull finish versus the shine of the real figure.
Here’s another close up. Can you see the rugged finish on the armour of the KO version around the armpit. You can also see the blurred edges and the red arm paint not lining up.

The closer you look, the more imperfections you’ll see!

You might be able to see the colour differences on the knees, the KO version with a slightly grey colour as well as the slight yellowing of the belt.
If you needed more proof!

Hopefully the above will help you spot some of those fakes. Sellers with KO versions seem to be a lot more open about it on eBay but keep your eyes open!