Q&A for How to Spot Fake DVDs

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My Lf cover half Korean with no information about studio it came from, for all areas & DVD dosent show "anti-piracy" when played, is this a bootleg? Also, there is no security seal but it is just in plastic wrap.

Community Answer

Yes. It most likely is pirated. You can report the people who sold it to you.

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Question

I purchased a DVD at a video store but the disc has no picture on the front. What should I do?

Community Answer

That does not automatically mean it is a counterfeit. Instead, look at the color of the CD. Like mentioned above, counterfeits have a CD that is discolored/not silver.

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Some of us "sellers" on eBay are victims of distributors of bootlegs, unaware we are selling them. Should we have a chance to clarify and refund to our victims/buyers of the scam without being reported as scammers?

Community Answer

Exactly what I was thinking. Some bootlegs could be well done enough that even an experienced seller wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If it's sealed it would be even harder and you can't kill the value on a new item by opening each one on the slight chance it might be a bootleg. If this does happen to you as a buyer, just ask for a return/refund and I'm sure any reasonable seller would understand. Don't just leave negative feedback and potentially ruin someone's business over one oversight.

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Question

Is my DVD automatically a fake if I can skip through the anti-piracy warnings?

Community Answer

Not automatically, but look out for other tell-tale signs because usually the warnings aren't skippable.

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Question

If a barcode is the same but blurred, is it fake?

Community Answer

That is most likely a result of wear and tear. If everything else is fine, it should be real.

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Question

What should I look for in a UK Disney DVD?

Community Answer

Look for a Disney hologram symbol on the spine of the case. If your UK Disney DVD doesn't have it, then it's a fake.

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Will the rainbow colors still be visible when I hold the disc up to light if the disc is fake?

Community Answer

Yes. All discs (except Blu-ray) should display rainbow colors, even if it is a copy.

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Question

Could my DVD be a fake if it is a plain disk with the title and has poor quality for viewing?

Community Answer

It could, or it could be a very old movie. Or maybe the signal is off. If something is wrong with the TV or the disc is scratched, it will be hard to watch.

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Question

If a a Blu-Ray has no age certificate on the cover or disc, is it a counterfeit?

Community Answer

No, it could be an American import. Check the back of the Blu-Ray, at the bottom there should be a rating, like, U, PG, PG-13, R or NC-17. If it has one of these, it is an American import and not a counterfeit.

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Is it a possibility that some discs with a purple bottom--not silver--are authentic? If so, what are the circumstances?

Community Answer

Yes. If it is an "on-demand" DVD. Many studios use recordable media (DVD-R) for titles that are manufactured on demand. Universal's Vault Series and Warner Bros. Archives are a couple. These are usually only on movies that are older and do not sell in high enough volume to have thousands pressed.

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Question

If something has poor English subtitles that don't follow the dialogue well, is it pirated?

Wraith619

Community Answer

Not necessarily, some movies just have bad subtitles, but if it has spelling errors and is constantly getting the dialogue wrong, then it is most likely a fake.

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Question

I bought a DVD that is white on the front with no picture or title, and the back is purple. It came in a sleeve with a slip of paper that had the title on it, but one of the words was misspelled.

Community Answer

It could well be a bootleg. misspellings are a dead giveaway.

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