How to tell if a book is counterfeit

 

Unfortunately, there are many counterfeit books circulating various online marketplaces. Many people do not even realize their books are counterfeit when they sell them. There are a few ways to tell if a book is counterfeit.

1. Uneven glue on Spine. The glue on a counterfeit book is very poor, may sometimes have a smell, or be discolored. It will generally look very poorly made.

Example of a poor binding with uneven/discolored/messy glue.

Binding of a counterfeit book.

2. Low Quality paper. Most authentic books have paper that is glossy and very good quality. Most counterfeit books have paper that is thinner and cheaply made.

3. Thickness of book/size of book. Many times the book will be much thinner or thinner than the original copy. This is due to the quality of the paper.

4. Low quality images. The images on a counterfeit book can be very low quality, blurry, bleed through pages, or even black and white.

If you look closely, the bottom image has a blurry image and discolored pages compared to the original above.

5.Barcode On an authentic book, the barcode on the back of the book is very clear and crisp. If it is counterfeit, it may be blurry.

 

The bottom image is a counterfeit version of the book. You can tell quite the difference due to a blurry barcode. 

6. Off center/uneven text Text on the spine and pages of an authentic book is generally always centered. If the text is off center, this may be a counterfeit book.

7.Typos/misprints If a book has a typo or misspelling of a word, it is most likely a counterfeit.

8.Book coming from overseas If you a book comes from overseas, it is most likely a counterfeit.