Fake Nike shoes are made with cheap materials that don't feel as good on the feet as authentic ones. These scammers are also better at concealing their products from consumers, so it's important to know what to look for.
The first thing you should look for is the tag on the shoe. Genuine Nike sneakers have an alphanumeric code printed on the tag. This number should match the one printed on the box.
Fake Nike shoes are made with inferior materials and lack the luster of the originals. This makes them feel cheap, stiff and heavy on the feet.
Genuine Nike sneakers have rubber soles that deliver terrific grip and traction. Their grooves and lug patterns should be uniform and equally spaced.
They should also have a thick texture and look different from the cheap plasticky ones used by fake makers.
Another telltale sign of a counterfeit Nike shoe is crooked stitching. The stitches on authentic sneakers are straight and evenly spaced.
Counterfeiters miss these details and place stitches too close together. They also don't engrave the registered trademark "(r)" symbols.
Another nifty trick is to check the inside tongue label. The label should contain the size, country of manufacture and SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) information.
Nike's sneakers are known to be very comfortable. They have rubber soles that are designed to provide excellent traction when you're walking or running.
When you buy a fake pair of sneakers, you should check for the quality of the materials. The quality of the materials can make a huge difference to the shoe's feel.
Another key element to look for is the swoosh logo. A fake swoosh will have a matte finish and tend to have excess material.
The real Nike swoosh will be made of high-quality leather. It should also have a gloss finish.
The swoosh on a fake shoe will often be distorted during the assembly process. This can be very noticeable and makes it difficult to tell if the shoes are authentic.
One of the best ways to identify fake nike is by looking at their design. If a shoe has any missing or incorrect details, they will immediately give away their fake status.
For example, authentic Nike sneakers have glued midsoles which are typically made from super light and innovative advanced foam that's extremely comfortable to wear. Fake shoes on the other hand have a more flimsy material that's not as durable or supportive.
Another sign of an authentic nike is the use of a unique alphanumeric code called the SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) that usually displays 9 digits on the shoe. This code should match the number printed on the shoe's box.
Aside from the SKU, a swoosh or Nike+ logo on the shoe's heel is also a good way to tell an authentic pair from a fake one. Authentic pairs will have an enlarged swoosh that's wider than the fake version. It should also be a little more reflective and shiny.
All authentic Nike shoes come in a box that's tagged and labeled correctly. The boxes are typically orange, red, or brown and should have the style, size, serial number and/or SKU, and barcode printed on them.
A pair of fake nike will not have this information printed on them. It's not uncommon for scammers to duplicate Nike boxes and ship them out without this information, but it's a big red flag.
Another way to tell if a pair of fake nike is counterfeit is by examining their materials. Fake shoes are usually made from low-quality, pleather material, which makes them feel much heavier and more rigid than real Nikes.
Also, examine the inner label of a pair of fake Nikes. They will often have outdated sizing information and bar codes on them. They can't be updated to match new styles, sizes, or colorways.