Counterfeit sneakers are a real problem in the collectable market, and good fakes can come with convincing boxes, labels and stitching. No single check proves a pair is genuine. What works is stacking several checks — where you buy, what the paperwork says, how the shoe is built — and paying for a professional opinion when the money involved justifies it. This checklist is educational guidance, not a guarantee.
Start with where you buy
The single biggest factor is the seller. Shoes bought from the brand itself or an authorised retailer carry essentially no counterfeit risk. The risk sits almost entirely in the resale market: marketplaces, social media sellers and third-party listings.
- On Amazon, read the seller lines. Every listing shows who the item "Ships from" and is "Sold by". A pair sold by Amazon or the brand's own storefront is a different proposition from one sold by an unknown third party. Check the seller's rating, how long they've been selling and what recent buyers say.
- Be suspicious of prices well below the going rate. If a limited retro that sells above retail everywhere else is listed far below it, assume something is wrong until proven otherwise.
- Pay with buyer protection. Credit cards and platform checkouts give you a way to dispute a fake. Avoid paying strangers by bank transfer or "friends and family" payment links. Amazon purchases from third-party sellers are covered by the A-to-z Guarantee if an item isn't as described.
The models collectors check hardest
Counterfeiters target what sells for the most over retail, so the most-hyped retros get the most attention. In our database that means shoes like Air Jordan 1 Retro High "Chicago", Air Jordan 4 Retro "Bred", Air Jordan 11 Retro "Concord" and Nike Kobe 6 Protro. If you're buying one of these second-hand, use every check below.
Checks you can do yourself
- Match the box label to the size tag. The style code and size on the box label should match the size tag inside the shoe, and the colorway name should match the release you think you're buying.
- Compare with official photos. Pull up the brand's own product images or release coverage for that exact colorway and compare at the same angles: toe-box shape, heel shape, logo placement and size, and colour blocking. Fakes often get proportions slightly wrong.
- Inspect the outsole. On genuine pairs the traction pattern and moulded logos are crisp and evenly spaced. Soft, blurred or uneven edges are a warning sign.
- Look at the build quality. Check stitching for even spacing, look for heavy glue marks around the midsole, and make sure both shoes match each other.
- Check the extras. Original laces, inserts and tags should match what the release shipped with. Missing or mismatched extras don't prove a fake, but they lower the value and are worth a question.
Passing all of these doesn't prove a pair is real — it just means you haven't found a problem.
When to get a professional check
For anything expensive, use a marketplace that authenticates before shipping, or a paid legit-check service where experts review detailed photos. The cost is small relative to a high-value pair, and an independent opinion also helps if you later need to dispute a sale or resell the shoes.
If you think you've bought a fake
Stop wearing the shoes (worn pairs are harder to return), keep all packaging, photograph the problems you've found and open a return or dispute through the platform you bought from as soon as possible. Most buyer-protection schemes have time limits.
For what collectable pairs typically trade for, see our resale value bands. Educational guidance only — verify with a professional authenticator before high-value purchases.