How to Tell if Your Elf Bar is Real or Fake

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Learn how to officially verify your vape and suss out fake packaging
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Elf Bars are some of the most popular vapes on the market today, which unfortunately means they’re some of the most popular vapes to counterfeit. The Elf Bar Bc5000 has a simple design that’s easy to imitate, but there are some surefire ways to tell a fake from the real thing. By scanning the QR code on the packaging to verify your vape and checking the security sticker on the side, you can easily determine if your vape is truly an Elf Bar. Keep reading for more tips on how to tell if an Elf Bar is real or not (even if you don’t have the packaging).

Things You Should Know

  • Scan the QR code on the side of the box. Click on the pop-up link to go to Elf Bar’s website, then enter the verification code and press verify.
  • Check the security sticker on the side of the package for scoring (cuts), a holographic thread, and intricate designs with varied line thickness, like the ones on paper money.
  • If the logo sticker isn’t aligned at the seam or if the juice tastes strange, harsh, or bitter, there’s a very good chance the vape is counterfeit.
Section 1 of 3:

Verify Your Elf Bar Online

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  1. Open the camera app on your phone and scan the QR code on the side of the Elf Bar box. [1] Click on the link that pops up to go to the verification page, then check the URL. The only three official sites are “www.elfbar.com/verify.html,” “www.ebcreate.com/verify.html,” and “www.ebdesign-us.com/verify.html.”
    • You can also go directly to Elf Bar ’s, EBdesign ’s, or EBcreate ’s website and navigate to the “Verification” page.
    • Counterfeit vapes also come with QR codes on their packaging and have their own copycat websites—watch out for sites with similar names, like “ebcreate.co,” “ebcreates.com,” and “ebcreateusa.com.”
    • The FDA declared Elf Bar products to be illegal for sale in the US, due to their high appeal to young people and involvement in e-cigarette poisoning cases. [2] Elf Bar got around the ban..somewhat..by rebranding as “EBdesign,” and then “EBcreate.” To avoid getting seized during import, Elf Bar will probably continue to change the name and design, making counterfeiting more prevalent.
  2. Enter the number under the QR code into the text box, then press verify. [3] After a few seconds, the site will tell you if the vape is real or not. If you find your vape is fake, fill out the form on Elf Bar’s site .
    • Never vape something that’s counterfeit. Vaping by itself can give you lung disease, and fake vapes can cause problems to develop even faster. [4] Bleeding gums, shortness of breath, wheezing, and respiratory illness are all symptoms of vaping bad products.
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Section 2 of 3:

Anti-Counterfeiting Features on the Security Sticker

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  1. Another way to check if your vape is real is by inspecting the packaging. [5] Check the security sticker next to the QR code for scoring, or cuts. The stickers are scored to make it more difficult to remove them in one piece (and to stick back onto a fake vape for resale).
    • The scores look like two half circles in the middle, then diagonal lines going out towards each corner.
    • Run your finger over the sticker if you’re having trouble determining if it’s scored.
  2. The security stickers on Elf Bars have a holographic ribbon on them with iridescent designs, similar to the one on the $100 USD bill. [6] The holograms on real Elf Bar stickers shift when you move the box back and forth.
  3. The Elf Bar security stickers are patterned like banknotes—the backgrounds are incredibly intricate and have tiny text running across them. If the sticker’s background is patterned but all the lines are the same thickness, or if there’s no text, it’s fake.
    • Elf Bars also have text (ELF BAR) printed in fluorescent ink, so if you happen to have access to a UV light you can check that way, too.
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Section 3 of 3:

Signs Your Elf Bar is Fake

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  1. Real Elf Bars have their lot number, manufacturer date, and expiration date stamped on the same side of their packaging as the security sticker and QR code. [7] If there’s nothing stamped on your packaging, it’s not a real Elf Bar.
  2. If the security sticker looks like it could be easily peeled off of the packaging or if the label on your “Elf Bar” isn’t perfectly secured at the seams, don’t trust that vape. [8] In general, if anything on the packaging or vape looks suspicious, consider it a fake. [9]
  3. If your vape makes strange noises right off the bat, there’s a good chance the coil is malfunctioning. If your vape also smells bad (bitter, acrid, like burning plastic), or has particles spitting out of it there’s a good chance it’s a fake…and the coil is coming in contact with the casing. [10]
  4. Generally, if you buy something for significantly less than its market price, it’s probably a counterfeit. The best way to ensure the vape you’re buying is real is to go to a reputable retailer or smoke shop. [11]
  5. Counterfeit Elf Bars are made with no health or safety regulations, so truly, anything could be in that liquid. If you bought a flavor you’ve had before and it tastes different, assume it’s a fake. If it tastes bitter, acrid, burnt, or just weird, stop using it immediately. [12]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.ebcreate.com/verify.html
      2. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-inspection-blitz-leads-more-180-warning-letters-retailers-illegal-sale-youth-appealing-elf-bar
      3. ↑ https://www.ebcreate.com/verify.html
      4. ↑ ​​ https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/evali
      5. ↑ https://www.ncpc.org/fake-vape-products/
      6. ↑ https://www.secretservice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2020-12/KnowYourMoney.pdf
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/QlM9ZJ2p-1U?si=s2Wuox6QriCAJwSz&t=24
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/QlM9ZJ2p-1U?si=GoAtO-o45vHkSdpG&t=30
      9. ↑ https://www.ncpc.org/fake-vape-products/
      1. ↑ ​​ https://www.ncpc.org/fake-vape-products/
      2. ↑ ​​ https://www.ncpc.org/fake-vape-products/
      3. ↑ ​​ https://www.ncpc.org/fake-vape-products/

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