PSA Report Reveals $200M in Fake Cards Prevented

PSA’s new fraud report reveals more than $200 million in counterfeit trading cards, with Pokémon, Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, and Tom Brady among the most targeted.

PSA says it intercepted over $200 million in fake cards as fraud continues to rise across the hobby. | PSA

In a hobby built on trust, the numbers are getting harder to ignore. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) released its latest fraud report, revealing that more than $200 million in counterfeit and altered collectibles were intercepted before ever reaching slabs.

And even that number may understate the problem.

“It was a conservative number,” PSA President Ryan Hoge said on the Sports Cards Nonsense podcast. “If you looked at it on the extreme end, that number could be well north of a billion dollars.”

That’s the scale of what’s being caught using increasingly sophisticated grading tools. But it’s also the tip of the iceberg.

Fraud Is Gaining Share, Not Just Growing

PSA’s data shows counterfeits aren’t just increasing within the hobby. Unfortunately, they are taking up more space inside it.

Counterfeit submissions rose 45.3% year over year, with Pokémon alone jumping 125%. More telling, counterfeit cards have surged as a share of total submissions, meaning fraud is gaining ground relative to legitimate cards.

Six of the top 10 fasted growing fraud categories include Pokemon cards. | PSA

That distinction matters. It’s no longer just about volume, but about probability. More cards, more buyers, and a higher chance that something in the market isn’t real.

The Cards Being Targeted 

At a high level, the targets look exactly like you’d expect. On the TCG side, it’s Pokémon. Characters like Charizard and Pikachu continue to anchor demand. In sports, the same names show up repeatedly: Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Tom Brady, and Ken Griffey Jr.

The upside for fraudsters can be huge, with 10X gains for many raw cards that get a coveted PSA 10. | PSA

Beyond the headliners, PSA also flags consistent activity around Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Shohei Ohtani—players with global recognition and deep, liquid markets.

These aren’t random selections. They’re the most recognizable cards in the hobby, including the ones that move consistently, attract new collectors, and carry built-in demand across generations. That combination makes them ideal for repeatable, scalable fraud.

And when you zoom in further, the numbers tell an even sharper story:

• 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: nearly 62% counterfeit rate in submissions
• 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan: roughly 25% counterfeit rate
• 1984 Star Jordan: over 26% counterfeit rate
• T206 Honus Wagner: 92.3% counterfeit rate (12 of 13 submitted)

The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie has some of the highest counterfeit rates. | PSA

These aren’t fringe cards. They’re the backbone blue-chip assets of the hobby.

The methods are evolving, too. It’s not just fully counterfeit cards. PSA is seeing rebacked vintage cards, trimmed edges, altered surfaces, fake autographs, and even counterfeit slabs designed to mimic graded cases. In some cases, real cards are being subtly modified and resubmitted as higher-grade examples.

The Real Shift: Mid-Tier Cards Are Now Targets

One of the biggest takeaways from both the report and Hoge’s comments is where fraud is heading.

“We might find cards that are $100 to $300 cards. If somebody can make a counterfeit version for $1 and get it into the market, they’ll do that all day long,” Hoge said.

While Michael Jordan and Pokemon characters top the list, lower value cards are also increasing targets for fraud. | PSA

That’s the play. Not just chasing six-figure hits, but scaling volume through recognizable, liquid cards that move quickly and attract less scrutiny. 

It’s less about faking the $100 bill and more about faking the $20. That includes everything from base rookies to low-numbered parallels, where subtle differences are harder for casual collectors to spot. That’s also where marketplace safeguards come into play, with platforms like eBay routing eligible cards through authentication before they reach buyers.

Why This Matters to Collectors

Behind the scenes, PSA is pairing traditional expertise with newer tools to keep up. Advanced imaging, pattern recognition, and AI-assisted analysis help flag inconsistencies in printing, foil patterns, and card stock. But human graders remain central, especially for subtle alterations.

The hobby has never been more accessible: more collectors, more platforms, more products. But that accessibility cuts both ways.

Counterfeit methods are improving, while demand for recognizable names remains strong across sports and TCG.

Ryan Hoge, President of PSA and Collectors | PSA

“Trust is what allows any market to grow,” Hoge said. “Protecting that trust is PSA’s most important responsibility.”

Because in a market built on authenticity, the biggest risk isn’t just fake cards. It’s believing they’re real.