The global craze for Pop Mart's collectible toy Labubu has reached fever pitch, giving rise to counterfeit versions sold at bargain prices and flooding markets worldwide in a concerning trend that has sparked consumer warnings across multiple countries.
Earlier this month, Chinese designer toy giant Pop Mart reported a staggering 362.8-percent profit surge for the first half of 2025, fueled largely by the explosive popularity of its quirky monster dolls, particularly the fan-favorite Labubu.
As demand skyrockets, so too does the proliferation of cheap, poorly made imitations. Now, warped, unauthorized knockoffs -- which consumers are calling "Lafufu" -- can be found everywhere: gas stations, corner stores, street fairs, and even as carnival prizes.
While some buyers intentionally opt for the deformed copycats, many others hoping to get their hands on a real Labubu dolls are often being misled, and in some cases, scammed out of hundreds of dollars.
"Now we see Lafufus are being sold in gas stations, in delis, and bodegas, and smoke shops, or as prizes at fairs or parades. The average American can now pretty likely come across a Lafufu for probably less than 20 dollars in their day-to-day life. A Labubu from the Pop Mart website, I believe retails -- it (the price) depends on the exact type. There's [the] 'Big into Energy' [series], which I believe is 32 dollars. And then, there is the 'Exciting Macaron' [series] or the 'Have a Seat', which are about 27 to 28 dollars. I believe right now, the wait time -- if you were to get one -- would be about six to eight weeks. So it's about a two-month waiting process, which also just drives people back into getting a Lafufu," said Rian Knighton, a program and communications coordinator at the Institute for China-America Studies, a U.S.-based think tank.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker, a private consumer watchdog in the U.S., is warning Americans about rising reports of counterfeit products and fake online sellers. So far this year, the BBB has received more than 90 reports from consumers who either received fakes or nothing at all for their Labubu purchases.
But the Lafufu fraud extends far beyond the U.S. borders.
In the UK, authorities in Nottingham recently seized dozens of fake Labubu toys with loose stitching and detachable heads. Meanwhile, in Australia, the New South Wales Fair Trading Division took to social media to warn shoppers about fraudulent sales tactics and how to identify counterfeit products.
Knighton offered her own advice on how to spot a fake.
"If you come across either (Labubu or Lafufu), you will have the box. The box is your first line of defense. There should be a perforated strip across the top. If it closes like a normal box, then it's most likely or definitely not a Labubu. It should have that perforated strip. Also on the box, there is a QR code, like you mentioned. That QR code will have newer versions [that] you'll be able to scratch off. Once you scan that QR code, there's a code that's revealed, and it will bring you to an authenticity page. There are some really high-quality fakes that the QR code does bring you to the Pop Mart website. But it doesn't bring you to that authentication page," she said.
Some companies have used the Lafufu crisis as an opportunity to find new ways to serve their customers. Earlier this summer, authentication app CheckCheck announced it would now offer Labubu authenticity checks.
Checks on the app aren't free, but for those unwilling to splurge on authenticity checks, the BBB suggests looking for clear ways to avoid fraud, such as buying from reputable sources, not clicking on sponsored ads, and reading customer reviews. Most importantly, if the price tag seems too good to be true, it probably is not a real deal.
Fake Pop Mart toys surge as Labubu mania sweeps globe
