How to Identify Fake Air Jordan 11s: Key Signs to Look For

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Plus, how to avoid buying a fake or low-quality pair of Jordans

Co-authored by Chance Dubinick and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: September 30, 2025 Fact Checked

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Fake Jordan 11s vs. Real Jordan 11s

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Avoiding Fakes

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What if you bought a fake?

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Why are there so many fake Jordans?

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It seems like fake sneakers are getting harder and harder to track nowadays, especially Air Jordan 11s, but it’s not impossible. If you know what to look for, it’s clear when a pair of Jordan 11s is fake and when they’re real. In this article, we compare fake 11s with real 11s, explain how to avoid the fakes, and more, with the help of sneaker authenticators Chance Dubinick and Daniel Gbenle. Read on for an extensive guide on spotting fake Jordan 11s!

Signs Your Air Jordan 11 Is Fake

According to sneaker authentication expert Chance Dubinick, “Jordan Brand and Nike are extremely precise, so any inconsistencies–misspellings, weird font spacing–are red flags.” Other signs of your Air Jordan 11s being fake include:

Small box with thick text: Fake boxes are smaller than real boxes, while the text on fake box labels is thicker than the text on real ones.
Fused Jumpman logo: Excessive stitching and fused areas around the shoulder, head, and shoelaces are another sign of fake Jordan 11s.
Flat shape around the collar: The back collar on fake Jordan 11s is flat, and the “U” shape underneath is thin and deep, while real 11s have a curved back collar and a wide “U” shape.

Section 1 of 4:

What to Look for on Fake vs. Real Air Jordan 11s

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The biggest difference between the box on real Air Jordan 11s and fake Air Jordan 11s is the size. The fake boxes tend to be smaller than the real boxes. ^{[1]
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Research source} The text on the fake box labels tends to have thicker fonts than the text on the real box, as well.

Meet the wikiHow Experts

Chance Dubinick is a sneaker authenticator and digital creator who shares content about sneakers. He has over 1 million followers combined across YouTube and TikTok.

Daniel Gbenle is a sneaker authenticator and the founder of Certisfied, an authentication business in Atlanta, GA. He has over 10 years of experience authenticating sneakers.
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Jumpman logo Excessive stitching in the Jumpman logo is a telltale sign that you’re dealing with a fake. On fake Air Jordan 11s, the head and shoulder are connected, while they’re separated on authentic 11s. The left raised arm on fakes also tends to be thicker towards the shoulder and thinner towards the hand, while real 11s have consistent thickness throughout the Jumpman.^{[2]
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- The laces on the Jumpman also tend to look fused with the legs on fakes, while they stick out and are clearly shoelaces on authentic pairs.
- Dubinick says that “If the Jordan logo is off–like if the Jumpman is doing a weird tuck and roll–that’s a major red flag.”^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Chance Dubinick
  Sneaker Authentication Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
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Tongue While the tongues on fake and real Air Jordan 11s don’t vary too much, taking a closer look at the text can reveal whether or not you’re looking at an authentic pair. The text on the inner tongue label is thin and evenly spaced on real pairs, but thick and oddly spaced on fakes.^{[4]
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- The text underneath the laces also varies between real pairs and fake ones. On fakes, the text is thick and blue, while the text on authentic pairs is thin and white.
Fake Air Jordan 11s are much glossier than real Air Jordan 11s. When put against a light, fakes harshly reflect it, while authentic 11s diffuse the light before reflecting it back at you. If you’re looking at a pair of 11s that are suspiciously bright when you put a flashlight to them, be wary, as they’re likely fake.^{[5]
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The shape is another huge difference between real Jordan 11s and fake ones. On real Jordan 11s, the back collar of the shoe curves upward and the “U” shape on the back side is wide. On fake Jordan 11s, the back collar is flat and the “U” shape is thin and deep. So, if you’re suspicious about your 11s, compare the shape to see if they’re authentic or not.^{[6]
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Text Dubinick says, “Jordan Brand and Nike are extremely precise, so any inconsistencies–misspellings, weird font spacing–are red flags.”^{[7]
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Expert Source

Chance Dubinick
Sneaker Authentication Expert

Expert Interview} Real Air Jordan 11s have thin text, particularly around the interior tongue label, so compare the pair you’re looking at to a pair of authentic ones to see if there are any discrepancies.
- Take a close look at the 23 on the back. On fake pairs, the 23 numbers are compacted closely together, while they’re evenly spaced on real pairs.
The toe box on a fake pair of Air Jordan 11s tends to be bulky and take up a considerable chunk of the front of the shoe. However, the toe box on a real pair of 11s is always slim and sleek. The fake toe box looks more like a hockey stick, while the real toe box resembles a crashing wave.
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Construction Construction discrepancies are a huge sign that sneakers are fake, and they’re easy to spot when comparing real and fake sneakers. A blacklight can reveal any construction discrepancies in the shoe. Sometimes the fakes are cleaner with their glue marks than authentic shoes, or the guidelines used to cut the shoes are different. So, look for a complete lack of glue and use the blacklight to find dotted lines around sections of fabric, too.
- According to Dubinick, “factories that produce counterfeit shoes use invisible marks to cut the materials, but real Nike and Jordan shoes never have those.”^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Chance Dubinick
  Sneaker Authentication Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
Sneaker authenticator Daniel Gbenle says to “inspect the box [and] look at the SKU, the style code. It should match the tag inside the shoe.”^{[9]
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Expert Source

Daniel Gbenle
Sneaker Authenticator

Expert Interview} If the two numbers don’t match up, you’ve definitely got a fake on your hands.
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Weight The materials used in fake Air Jordan 11s are heavier than the materials used in real ones. While this may not be noticeable when you pick the two up, weighing them can reveal whether or not the pair you’ve got on hand is fake. So if you have a pair of real 11s of the same colorway on hand, weigh both. The one that comes out heavier is the fake.^{[10]
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- Real BRED 11s tend to weigh under 1.2 oz (34.02 g), while fake ones are typically over 1.2 oz (34.02 g).
- Real Cool Grey 11s typically weigh under 1.4 oz (39.69 g), while fakes tend to go over 1.4 oz (39.69 g).
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Hang tags Sites like StockX tend to put hang tags on their sneakers to certify their authenticity. But many counterfeiters have started to do the same thing. As a rule of thumb, Dubinick says, “Checking the spacing and text on the hang tag can also help spot fakes.”^{[11]
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Expert Source

Chance Dubinick
Sneaker Authentication Expert

Expert Interview}
- According to Dubinick, “Fake factories often put StockX tags on their products, so just having a tag doesn’t confirm authenticity.”^{[12]
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  Chance Dubinick
  Sneaker Authentication Expert
  
  Expert Interview}

Section 2 of 4:

How to Avoid Buying Fake Air Jordan 11s

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Stay away from shady sellers who don’t have good reviews. When you see someone selling a pair of Air Jordan 11s and they don’t have good reviews (or they have no reviews at all), steer clear of them. A seller who has lots of 1, 2, or 3-star reviews and little to no 4 or 5-star reviews is likely a seller who sells poor quality or fake products. So, to stay safe, avoid buying from shady sellers.^{[13]
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- If the seller refuses to send specific details, like the SKU number on the box and the shoe, or photos of certain parts of the shoe, they may be selling a counterfeit product.
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Avoid buying shoes if the price is suspiciously low. If you see a pair of Jordan 11s that usually go for $200+ priced at something like $50 or $60, you’re likely looking at a scam. Gbenle says that “if the shoe should cost $250, for example, and you’re paying $50, $70, then that’s a red flag already,” so make sure to steer clear of sneakers that are priced suspiciously low.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Daniel Gbenle
Sneaker Authenticator

Expert Interview}
- You may see a pair lower than the retail price if they’re pre-worn, but if the Jordan 11 is being advertised as deadstock (brand new, never worn, and in the original packaging) and is priced significantly lower than retail, stay away!
To make sure you’re getting your hands on some Air Jordan 11s that are authentic, buy from a seller who is known for selling authentic Jordans, like Foot Locker, Nike, or Champs. If you’re buying from a secondhand seller, check their reviews to see if they have a history of selling authentic products.^{[15]
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Section 3 of 4:

What to Do When You Buy Fake Air Jordan 11s

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Once you realize you’ve got a pair of fakes on your hands, reach out to the seller and let them know your findings. Explain the reasons why you believe the product is fake, then kindly ask if you can return them for a refund. Depending on the seller, they may be happy to oblige and quickly accept the return.
If you’ve reached out to the seller for a return or refund and they refuse, even though the product is fake, report them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Visit the Report page on the FTC’s website, answer the questions on the following page, list the details of the purchase (along with your personal information), and submit your report.^{[16]
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If you call the seller out on the fact that their products are fake and they don’t offer a return or refund, leave a review explaining that they sell fake products. This will let other potential buyers know that the seller isn’t reliable, and you will help prevent them from being scammed.

Section 4 of 4:

Why are there so many fake Jordans?

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Jordan brand is especially lucrative, considering its worldwide status as a household name. It’s easy to target unsuspecting buyers with fake Jordans, especially if they don’t know what to look for. Due to these factors, there are plenty of fake products on the market, much to the dismay of buyers who are looking for authentic products.
There’s a demand for fake Jordans, too. For many people, fake products (often referred to as “reps” in the sneaker community) are a great way to save money while still looking fresh. They may not care about the authenticity of the product as much as they care about the Jordan image, leading them to purchase reps to achieve the look they want.