Guide Contents:

1. About this guide
2. About counterfeit gba games
3. How to avoid buying a counterfeit gba game
4. How to avoid buying a counterfeit pokemon game
5. The differences - Pictures of counterfeit & authentic games
6. The differences - Pictures of counterfeit & authentic pokemon games
7. Fake pokemon titles
8. Why you should avoid counterfeit gba games
9. What you should do if you were sold a counterfeit gba game
10. Final note
     

About this guide:

This will tell you in detail how to avoid counterfeit gba games.

It will tell you in great detail every last bit of infomation about counterfeit gba games.

All infomation listed in this guide is 100% factual and upto date.

About conterfeit games:

Counterfeit gba games are made in illegal factorys in the far east such as china.

They cost on average under 1GBP each to make as they are made in there tens of thousands.

They are then either sold at wholesale for on average 3GBP a game or sold retail for 10-15GBP a game.

Thousands of counterfeit gba games are sold every month or auction sites such as ebay and amazon.

Because they have been produced in this millions for the last few years they are everywhere!

How to avoid buying a conterfeit gba game:

• The best way to avoid buying a conterfeit game is to avoid all games that state they are USA versions! - The illegal factorys make them for the USA market and ship them to the UK aswell.
• They come with a pathetic 15 page instruction manual which some sellers refer to as a "leaflet". - This is a photocopy of the origional.
• The sellers state the games will be sent "flat packed" - This is because they are to lazy to build the box up for you.
• If they state the games are "imports" this is code for "counterfeit!"
• If they state it will take "7-14" working days to delivery - this is because they are shipped from the illegal factorys!
• If the game you are looking at buying has been released before the release date BEWARE! - This is normaly because they are translations of foreign games released before the uk get them released.
• Any game stated as "new and tested" or "new.. used once to test" are counterfeit also - Ask yourself this "if the game is brand new how come they have to test them?!"
• If your looking at a brand new gba game thats just been released.. expect to pay from 25-35GBP for it.. anyone selling them for 5-15GBP are selling counterfeits!
• Dont get fooled by the 100% positive feedback.. people are idiots.. they show there children the game.. see a smile.. leave positve feedback.. (give it a day/week and it stops saving!!!)
• Last but most certainly not least - Exercise common sence always!
   

How to avoid buying a conterfeit pokemon game:

• You can apply the same infomation from the above section to this also.
• Official Pokemon games have coloured cartridges - The fake ones are usualy grey.
• Not all coloured pokemon games are authentic now though - Look to see if the sticker on the cart is shiny.. if the sticker is shiny you have an authentic game.. if it is not then you have a counterfeit version.
• Dont accept any usa version of the game.. most pokemon games that are fake are copys of the usa versions..never the uk versions.
• Your best bet is to only buy a pokemon game that has no usa logos/print on the box or game!
   

The differences - Pictures of counterfeit & authentic games:

 
Authentic Example:

Counterfeit Example:

NOTE: Avoid any games sold on ebay.co.uk with the "AGB USA" writing on them.. they are 9 times out of 10 counterfeit stock!

 
The differences - Pictures of counterfeit & authentic pokemon games:

 
Authentic Example 1:

Counterfeit Example 1:

(the older fakes have grey carts like this but beware of the new fakes coming out with coloured carts also)
 
 
Authentic Example 2:

Counterfeit Example 2:

(the older fakes have grey carts like this but beware of the new fakes coming out with coloured carts also)
 
 
Authentic Example 3:

Counterfeit Example 3:

 
Authentic Example 4:

Counterfeit Example 4:

(the cartridge is green yes BUT the label on the game is not shiny and the packaging looks nothing like the authentic one!)

Fake pokemon titles:

These are games that were not made at all by nintendo.
They are "hacks" of previouse games such as firered/leafgreen or ruby/sapphire.
These games are almost never complete and are absolute rubbish.
Do not be fooled by the auction description stating the games as "rare" and/hard to find.
 
A list of fake games to avoid are:
Pokemon Chaos Black (hack of fire red & ends at mt moon)
Pokemon Quartz (hack of ruby & contains very abusive swearing)
Pokemon Perla (hack of ruby & ends in second town)
Pokemon Frigo Returns (Hack of ruby with minor changes)
Pokemon Naranja (hack of ruby & ends at 3rd gym)
Pokemon ShinyGold (hack of fire red & ends at 4th gym)
Pokemon Diamond (has no relation to pokemon & makes no sence)
Pokemon Jade (has no relation to pokemon & is same as diamond)
Pokemon Jade & Diamond 2in1 (same as before but on the same cart)
Pokemon Gold and Silver 2in1 (illegal double game & will stop working like they do)
Pokemon Green (there is a real version but it is only in japanese language, english versions are illegal translations)
Any other pokemon games dumped onto one cart is an illegal reproduction.

 
Why you should avoid conterfeit gba games:

The games may look like a great deal on first perception because of the big price slash!
BUT the reason for this being is because the games are made from substandard materials..
Meaning after a day or maybe a week if your lucky, the game will delete you save and stop saving.. stop running entirely.
Conterfeit games are not built to last.. they are built to work for a short while (which gives the seller time to receive there positive feedback).
If you buy your son/daughter one of these games expect a sad face after a day/week due to there hard work being deleted!
The seller will not care about this.. they are only bothered about financial gain and will be laughing all the way to the bank!
When infact selling and even buying conterfeit games destroys law abiding companys like nintendo!

 
What you should do if you were sold a conterfeit gba game:

1. Ask for your money back - If you do not get it - open up a paypal dispute and tell paypal what you have been sold is a counterfeit illegal game - they will refund your payment as what the seller sold is prohibited in paypals terms and conditions!
2. After you have got your refund leave the seller negative feedback warning other buyers that the games are illegal conterfeits - Yes you may get negative in return but it is the right thing to do and stops sellers continuing selling them!
3. Contact ebay directly and tell them the type of game you have recieved is an illegal counterfeit - They will act on this and remove the listing giving the seller a strike against there ebay name - if they get so many of these they will be banned!
4. If you have completed the steps above you have not only did the right thing but you have got your money back after being conned!
    
    

Final Note:

Thanks for reading my guide...

I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing it!

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