If you suspect tampering with a Pokémon slab—the sealed holder, label, and graded card—contact the grader before anyone repairs or opens it. Do not use a third-party repair service first, even if the damage looks cosmetic.
That does not confirm a named Pokémon tampering incident; the documented risk is general. PSA's guarantee warns that fraudsters may substitute a lower-grade, altered, or counterfeit card and reseal the holder. PSA directs owners who suspect a counterfeit or overgraded card to contact Customer Service for submission guidance.
Table of Contents
- What signs justify concern?
- Why can a repair make matters worse?
- What should you do first?
- Is reholdering the same as repairing a slab?
- What if the slab is graded by CGC?
What signs justify concern?
PSA's buyer guide identifies frosting, cracks near the sonic weld, unusual flexibility, and edges that pop open as possible tampering indicators. The sonic weld is the fused seam around the holder. These signs deserve scrutiny, but none proves fraud by itself.
A matching certification number is not conclusive either. PSA says criminals can copy public numbers onto counterfeit grading inserts, so certification lookup alone does not eliminate risk. Assess the card, label, holder, and purchase history together.
Why can a repair make matters worse?
Do not glue, heat, polish, clamp, pry, or reseal the holder. Even well-intended work can alter the seam, obscure existing damage, or prevent the grader from evaluating the holder's original condition. PSA voids its guarantee without exception when an item has been removed from, or is found in, a partially opened holder.
It then treats the item as never PSA-authenticated or graded. A third party may improve the holder's appearance, but it cannot restore the grader's chain of custody. Only the grading company can decide whether the holder and certification remain valid.
What should you do first?
Limit handling and document the slab under clear, neutral lighting. Photograph the front, back, label, certification number, every edge, and any suspicious seam area without forcing the holder open.
Follow the grader's case-specific instructions. Keep copies of your photographs and correspondence for any later discussion with the seller, marketplace, or shipping company.
- Save the original listing, purchase images, receipt, and seller messages.
- Record when and how you noticed the problem.
- Compare the current slab with the original listing photographs.
- Contact the grading company named on the label and describe the exact concern.
- Ask which submission route applies before mailing or modifying anything.
Is reholdering the same as repairing a slab?
No. PSA's Reholder service is a grader-run inspection process, not a promise to replace every damaged case. PSA examines the holder and label for authenticity and integrity, and it may decline reholdering after finding tampering, a fracture, changed card condition, or a known counterfeiting risk.
PSA's terms also warn that a concerning Reholder submission may be examined outside its holder. The card can receive a lower grade or be returned raw rather than re-encapsulated. Do not submit suspected tampering as an ordinary cosmetic holder problem. Disclose the exact damage and concern when requesting guidance so PSA can direct the submission appropriately.
What if the slab is graded by CGC?
Use the company named on the label rather than assuming PSA's process applies. CGC's guarantee excludes collectibles whose holders were removed, damaged, unsealed, tampered with, or altered, and CGC decides whether that occurred.
A cracked CGC holder could represent damage rather than deliberate tampering, but appearance alone cannot settle that question. Leave the holder sealed and ask CGC how it wants the slab documented and submitted.
