Reshrunk Boxes and Searched Packs: Four Pitfalls to Watch Out for in Secondary Card Trading

In secondary card trading, items delivered may not match the advertisement. Prominent examples include repackaged boxes, packs with high-rarity cards filtered out, packs with exaggerated hit rates, and counterfeit cards. Below is an overview of these four card-specific pitfalls based on official announcements and news reports.

Four Types Highlighted by Official Notices

When "Pokémon Card 151" was released, the official Japanese Pokémon Card Game website issued a notice warning users about transactions on flea market apps.

| Type | Description | Source | |---|---|---| | Searched packs/boxes | Selling remaining packs after filtering out packs containing high-rarity cards such as SR and SAR | Official Japanese Pokémon Card Game site | | Exaggerated oripa | Original seller-assembled packs. Even if marketed as "High SR pull rate," the actual probability may be low or zero | Official Japanese Pokémon Card Game site | | Counterfeits and imitations | Confirmed listings on flea market apps. Unauthorized products sold under labels like "replica" or "metal card" also exist | Official Japanese Pokémon Card Game site | | Reshrunk boxes | Opened boxes wrapped in plastic film again to disguise them as unopened products | inside-games |

On September 6, 2023, inside-games reported that a disguised product brought into Hareruya 2, a specialty store in Akihabara, was a reshrunk box. The article pointed out that because a significant number of resellers open boxes and repackage them using household shrink-wrapping machines to pass them off as unopened products, shrink-wrap is no longer proof of an unopened box. With the cooperation of attorneys and police, the shop identified both the person who brought in the item and the person who manufactured it, and reportedly recovered the full amount of damages from the individual.

In an announcement on September 19, 2023, the official Japanese website stated that it is cooperating with marketplace platforms to prevent the sale of replicas and metal cards, and is considering legal action.

What to Check on Domestic Secondhand Platforms

First, compare with the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). The official Pokémon Support page explains that packs priced significantly below the suggested retail price are an almost certain warning sign of counterfeit products. The same page notes that flea markets are where the highest number of counterfeit sales reports originate.

Second, inspect the exterior packaging markings. In a notice on illegal counterfeit products issued on January 29, 2021, Pokémon Korea (포켓몬코리아) explained that genuine products display the manufacturer name, customer service center contact details, and a voluntary safety confirmation certification mark (KC mark). The counterfeit product featured in the notice was packaged in a paper box rather than a foil pack, contained a different number of cards, and lacked the KC mark. The notice added that the counterfeit cards had dull colors and uneven cut edges.

Third, do not rely solely on the word "unopened" or the presence of shrink-wrap. As shown in the case above, plastic wrap can be reapplied. Buyers should also bear in mind that loose pack bundles and oripa cannot be checked for internal contents prior to purchase.

When Problems Arise

The Pokémon Korea customer support page accepts inquiries regarding illegal goods and copyright infringement at copyright@pokemonkorea.co.kr. The 2021 notice provided a reporting email at players@pokemonkorea.co.kr and a customer service hotline at 1588-4273. The Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (한국지식재산보호원, KOIPA) One-Stop IP Infringement Reporting and Counseling Center (1666-6464) accepts reports on counterfeit goods and sellers, and operates a reward program for reporting manufacturers and distributors.

Refund disputes can be mediated through the Fair Trade Commission Consumer Counseling Center (국번 없이 1372 without area code). Financial losses can be reported to the Korean National Police Agency Cybercrime Reporting System (ECRM), although as a rule, victims must still visit a police station in person to provide a statement even after filing an online report.

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Sources

• ポケモンカードゲーム公式 · 「ポケモンカード151」売買に関する注意喚起 (Accessed 2026-11-07)
• ポケモンカードゲーム公式 · 偽造品に関する注意事項について (2023-09-19)
• inside-games · ポケカ専門店に“偽装商品”が持ち込まれる―対象は再シュリンク品 (2023-09-06)
• Pokémon Support · Did I purchase fake or counterfeit cards? (Accessed 2026-11-07)
• Pokémon Korea · Notice on illegal counterfeit Pokémon Card Game products (2021-01-29)
• Pokémon Korea · Customer Support (Accessed 2026-11-07)
• Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency · One-Stop IP Infringement Reporting and Counseling Center (Accessed 2026-11-07)
• Korea Consumer Agency (Accessed 2026-11-07)
• Korean National Police Agency · Cybercrime Reporting System (Accessed 2026-11-07)