Yes. A lower-value Pokémon card can be placed in a slab carrying a label that falsely presents it as a costly, high-grade card. A slab is a sealed plastic holder containing a card and a grading label. The label normally identifies the card, its grade, and its certification number, but counterfeit or altered information can make the card appear more valuable than it is.
Table of Contents
- How Can the Card and Label Be Mismatched?
- Has This Happened With Pokémon Cards?
- What Warning Signs Should a Buyer Check?
- Does PSA's Guarantee Protect the Buyer?
How Can the Card and Label Be Mismatched?
A slab label does not guarantee that the enclosed card earned the stated grade. someone may alter the holder, replace grading information, or place a fake label over a genuine one. In one documented scheme, real PSA labels had their grades and serial numbers removed. Fake PSA 9 or 10 grades and new serial numbers were then added, allowing ungraded or lower-graded cards to command inflated prices.
A federal jury convicted Anthony Curcio in January 2026 for selling sports and Pokémon cards with fake PSA grades, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The label creates the appearance of value; it does not improve the card. PSA grades cards from 1 to 10, and higher grades can increase market value by multiples.
Has This Happened With Pokémon Cards?
Yes. The federal case specifically covered Pokémon cards, not just sports cards. In July 2023, an undercover law-enforcement buyer paid $10,500 for a fraudulently misrepresented 1999 Pokémon Venusaur.
The Justice Department's arrest announcement identified it as part of the alleged falsely graded card scheme. Prosecutors said the defendants' completed and attempted sales sought more than $2 million from victims. The cards reached buyers through online marketplaces, auction sites, card shops, card shows, and in-person trades.
What Warning Signs Should a Buyer Check?
psa describes its holders as tamper-evident, not tamper-proof. Its buyer security guide warns that a broken sonic weld may leave cloudy "frosting," fractures, cracking, unusual flexibility, or open edges.
Before buying, check: A matching certification search is useful, but it should not end the inspection. A copied or substituted serial number can make false grading information look more convincing.
- Whether the holder has cracks, gaps, frosting, or flexible edges.
- Whether the label appears layered, altered, or placed over another label.
- Whether the certification number appears in PSA's public database.
- Whether available SecureScan images match the card's front and back.
- Whether the seller will make the sale contingent on PSA confirming the item.
Does PSA's Guarantee Protect the Buyer?
Do not assume that an incorrect label guarantees reimbursement. PSA's published exclusions include cards in tampered or partially opened holders. The PSA Financial Guarantee also excludes clerical and mislabeling errors.
PSA gives the example of a label stating PSA 10 when the enclosed card would grade PSA 1. For an expensive purchase, seek PSA review before paying and make the transaction contingent on confirmation. If the seller refuses that condition or will not provide clear holder and card images, the safest practical action is to decline the purchase.
