Start by checking the authentication area on the box. A genuine sealed POP MART Labubu blind box should have a QR code, a scratch-off security field, and the surrounding holographic security label. If a sealed Labubu blind box has no QR code or no scratch-off field, treat it as fake and do not buy it.
Some fakes do have a QR code, so the next step is to scan it. The QR code should lead to POP MART's official verification page, not a random website, lookalike page, or broken link. To avoid this risk, start from a trusted seller and browse Cutiemalta's authentic Labubu blind boxes in Malta.
We have photographed fake-looking Labubu products in Malta shops, including Focci in Valletta and Mics+Co souvenir shops. The examples show the same warning signs shoppers should check before paying: missing POP MART authentication stickers, wrong boxes, strange product names, low-quality figures, and QR codes that are not the normal POP MART box authentication.
Quick Checklist: Signs a Labubu Is Fake
Use this checklist first:
- No QR code on a sealed POP MART Labubu blind box.
- No scratch-off security field beside the QR code.
- No holographic security label around the QR/scratch-code area.
- The QR code opens a non-POP MART website.
- The QR code opens a page that looks copied, strange, or unfinished.
- The box print looks blurry, stretched, too shiny, or badly aligned.
- The POP MART logo, series name, or small text looks wrong.
- The Labubu has poor stitching, uneven fur, strange eyes, wrong ears, wrong feet, bad teeth, or an incorrect overall shape.
- The seller is in a tourist area or general gift shop and cannot explain how to verify the product.
- The price is too low, especially under EUR20 for a sealed popular Labubu blind box.
- The item is loose, not in a sealed POP MART box, but is still being sold as Labubu.
One weak signal is enough to slow down. Missing QR/scratch-code authentication on a sealed box is enough to walk away.
1. Check for the QR Code, Scratch Code, and Holographic Label
This is the most important check on a sealed Labubu blind box.
An authentic POP MART blind box should have an official authenticity sticker on the box. On current POP MART blind boxes, this area includes:
- a QR code,
- a grey scratch-off field,
- a security code under the scratch-off coating,
- holographic security features around the sticker.
If the box has no QR code at all, it should not be treated as a genuine sealed POP MART Labubu blind box. Many of the fake Labubu boxes we saw in Malta did not even have this authentication area. They were missing the QR code, the scratch-off field, and the holographic security label.
If the box does have a QR code, check whether the scratch-off field is still untouched. A sealed product should not have the code already scratched. If the code has already been scratched, ask why. It may mean somebody already checked the code, opened the box, or handled the product in a way that makes it harder to trust.
You can also follow Cutiemalta's step-by-step guide on how to verify a POP MART blind box.
2. Scan the QR Code and Check the Website
A QR code is only useful if it sends you to the right place.
When you scan the code, it should go to POP MART's official verification page. Check the domain carefully. It should be a real POP MART website, such as popmart.com, q.popmart.com, or another official POP MART verification domain.
Do not trust a QR code just because it opens a page. Fakes can also have QR codes. A fake QR code may send you to:
- a random website,
- a lookalike page,
- a page with spelling or layout mistakes,
- a page that does not ask for the proper security code,
- a page that has nothing to do with POP MART.
For genuine POP MART verification, you normally scan the QR code, scratch the grey field, and enter the requested digits from the security code. If the QR code does not behave like a real authentication flow, do not buy the box.
For loose Labubu-style figures, be even more careful. The Mics+Co example we photographed had a tag with a QR code on the figure, but that is not the same as the POP MART authentication sticker on a sealed blind box. A real sealed POP MART Labubu blind box should have the authentication sticker on the box itself, with the scratch-off field and security code.
3. Watch for the Wrong Labubu in the Wrong Box
One of the clearest fake signs is when the figure and box do not belong together.
In the Focci Valletta example, one product appears to copy the Merlion Labubu, a highly sought-after Singapore exclusive, but it is placed with a box for Fall in Wild, which is a completely different Labubu release. That mismatch is a strong sign that the product is not a genuine sealed POP MART Labubu blind box.
The same Focci shelf also had a Halloween Labubu style product with a box design that does not match the correct official packaging. The writing, front design, and Chinese characters on the box are not what shoppers should expect from the original release.
If the character, box name, series artwork, and packaging text do not match, do not buy it.
4. Look at the Box Quality
After the QR check, inspect the box itself. Fake boxes often look close from a distance, but the details are usually weak.
Check:
- print sharpness,
- logo placement,
- color accuracy,
- spelling,
- barcode and product information,
- bottom and side panels,
- box seal and folding quality.
Authentic POP MART packaging should look sharp and consistent. A fake box may have artwork that looks copied from a low-quality image, colors that are too bright or washed out, text that is hard to read, or labels that look badly placed.
Do not only check the front of the box. Many fake boxes are made to look acceptable from the front because that is what shoppers see first. Turn it around. Look at the side panels, bottom, and authentication sticker area.
In the Focci photos, the boxed Labubu-style products have obvious problems: the wrong box for the figure, incorrect design details, and missing normal POP MART authentication features. Those are stronger signals than small print differences.
5. Check Loose Labubu Figures Carefully
If the Labubu is outside the box, the product quality becomes the main check. This is especially important in souvenir shops, where loose Labubu-style figures may be sold without a sealed POP MART blind box.
Fake Labubu figures often look wrong in the small details:
- the eyes may look uneven, flat, or badly painted,
- the stitching may be loose or messy,
- the fur may look thin, rough, patchy, or badly cut,
- the ears, feet, hands, and body shape may not match the real design,
- the teeth may be the wrong shape, count, or spacing,
- the tag may look badly printed or incorrectly attached,
- the overall design may look like a poor copy rather than the real POP MART character.
The Mics+Co example we photographed was a loose, low-quality replica of Big Into Energy sold for EUR13.95. The product name used in store was Labubu/Stitch surprise box, which is already a warning sign because Labubu and Stitch are separate character/product worlds. The figure was not in a sealed POP MART blind box, and the tag QR code was not the proper POP MART box authentication sticker.
6. Be Careful Where It Is Sold
Be extra careful when Labubu products are sold in places that are not specialist collectible or blind box sellers.
If a seller is in a very touristy area, sells many unrelated gift items, or does not seem to know much about POP MART, keep your guard up. This does not automatically mean every product in the shop is fake, but it means you should do the QR, scratch-code, packaging, and quality checks before paying.
A good seller should be able to explain how to verify the product. They should know where the QR code is, what the scratch-off field is for, and why the official POP MART verification page matters. A specialist seller should not be annoyed when a customer asks, "How can I check that this Labubu is genuine?"
Cutiemalta has a verification page for this exact reason. Customers should not have to rely only on trust. They should be able to check the product themselves.
In Valletta, we photographed boxed Labubu-style products at Focci, on the corner of Triq San Gwann and St John Street. We also photographed loose Labubu-style products at Mics+Co, a Malta souvenir shop with multiple locations. Both examples are useful because they show different fake signals: Focci had suspicious boxed products, while Mics+Co had loose figures without sealed POP MART boxes.
7. Use Price as a Simple Warning Sign
Price will not prove a Labubu is real, but it can quickly show when something is wrong.
For the popular sealed POP MART Labubu blind boxes in Malta, such as Big Into Energy, Have a Seat, and Exciting Macaron, a price under EUR20 should be treated as fake or extremely suspicious. These are not normally EUR10 products when they are authentic sealed POP MART boxes.
At the time of this draft, Cutiemalta sells the popular best selling Labubu in Malta lines for EUR29.99 each: Big Into Energy, Have a Seat, and Exciting Macaron. Prices can change, but this gives a useful reference point.
A normal or high price still does not prove the product is real. Some fakes are sold close to the price of a genuine Labubu because the seller knows people expect Labubu to cost more. Use price as a warning sign, not as your only check.
Simple rule:
- Under EUR20 for a popular sealed Labubu blind box: assume fake or extremely risky.
- Around normal market price but no QR/scratch-code proof: still risky.
- High price from an unknown seller with weak photos: still risky.
- Fair price from a trusted seller with proper verification: much safer.
8. Be Very Careful With Opened Boxes and Resale Listings
Facebook Marketplace and other resale listings are some of the riskiest places to buy Labubu in Malta.
The biggest problem is opened boxes. Do not trust an opened Labubu blind box only because the outside box verifies as real. A seller can open a genuine box, keep the real Labubu, put a fake Labubu inside, and sell it with a story like, "I opened it but got the wrong color."
In that situation, the QR code on the box may still lead to a real POP MART verification page, because the box itself may be real. The problem is that the figure inside may have been swapped.
Be careful with Marketplace listings that show:
- opened blind boxes,
- loose Labubu figures with no packaging,
- stock photos instead of real photos,
- blurry photos,
- no close-up of the QR/scratch-code area,
- no close-up of the teeth, eyes, ears, feet, tag, and stitching,
- a seller who says they cannot provide more photos,
- pressure to pay quickly or send a deposit.
If you still want to buy through Marketplace, ask for photos taken today with a handwritten note beside the box. Ask for a short video showing the box, authentication sticker, and the actual Labubu. If it is opened, verify the figure itself, not only the box.
For most shoppers, the safer advice is simple: avoid opened Labubu blind boxes from resale listings unless you know exactly what you are checking.
9. What to Ask Before Buying
If you are unsure, send a message like this:
Hi, is this an authentic POP MART Labubu? Can you send close-up photos of the QR code, scratch-off field, holographic sticker, front, back, bottom, tag, teeth, eyes, ears, feet, and stitching? If it is sealed, can I scan the QR code before paying?
If the seller refuses, gives vague answers, or says "it is just the same", do not treat it as authentic.
10. What If You Already Bought a Fake Labubu?
If you already bought a fake Labubu, the main thing is not to resell it as real. That only passes the problem to someone else.
You can try asking the seller for a refund if it was advertised as authentic, but in many cases you may have lost the money. Keep screenshots, messages, receipts, and photos in case you need them.
Also be careful if the product is for a child. Fake collectibles may not use the same materials, quality control, or safety standards as genuine POP MART products. If the figure has loose parts, weak stitching, strong chemical smell, poor paint, or anything that feels unsafe, it is better not to use it. In many cases, the safest choice is to throw it away and buy a real one from a trusted seller instead.
Where to Buy Authentic Labubu in Malta
The safest way to avoid fake Labubu products is to buy sealed products from a seller that cares about authenticity and can show you how to verify the box yourself.
Cutiemalta sells authentic POP MART collectibles in Malta, including Labubu blind boxes when available. We also publish verification guidance so customers can check the QR code, scratch-code, and official POP MART page themselves.
If you are browsing beyond Labubu, you can also shop Cutiemalta's wider POP MART blind boxes in Malta.
FAQ
Do real POP MART Labubu blind boxes have a QR code?
Yes. Genuine sealed POP MART Labubu blind boxes should have an authentication area with a QR code, scratch-off field, and security label. If that area is missing, do not buy the box.
Is a Labubu fake if the QR code does not go to POP MART?
Treat it as fake or unsafe to buy. A QR code should take you to an official POP MART verification page, not a random website or copied page.
Can a real Labubu box have a fake Labubu inside?
Yes, if the box has been opened. This is why opened blind boxes on Facebook Marketplace are risky. The box can be real, but the figure inside may have been swapped.
Are cheap Labubu blind boxes in Malta fake?
If a popular sealed POP MART Labubu blind box is under EUR20 in Malta, treat it as fake or extremely suspicious. Authentic boxes usually cost more, and Cutiemalta's popular Labubu blind boxes are EUR29.99 at the time of this draft, which is the lowest price for a genuine labubu in Malta.
What is the safest way to buy Labubu in Malta?
Buy from a trusted seller that sells sealed products, understands POP MART verification, and can show you how to check the QR code and scratch-code yourself.
External Reference
For POP MART's own help page, see the official POP MART authenticity check.