Pay EXTRA attention to LEGO “Minifigures”. These are the most popular, carry the most value, and are therefore the biggest target for fraud. At Bricknowlogy, we often have to inform people (of all ages) that their prized minifigure is a fraud, and has little to no value – and that is very disappointing for everyone. Be very careful when buying or trading LEGO minifigures out of the box – especially the licensed ones like Disney® Star Wars™ and Super Heroes from Marvel™ or DC COMICS™ – as these are the most valued and most targeted for imitation.

Other things to look for are the bottoms of the torso (legitimate LEGO Brand elements have a distinctive “X” pattern) and the backs of the legs (LEGO always has “closed” feet, not open in back).