How to Tell if Your Elf Bar is Real or Fake

Download Article

Learn how to officially verify your vape and suss out fake packaging

Co-authored by Carmine Shannon

Last Updated: August 28, 2024 Fact Checked

Download Article

Online Verification

|

Security Stickers

|

Signs Your Elf Bar is Fake

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

Download Article

1
Scan the QR code on the packaging and click the link. Open the camera app on your phone and scan the QR code on the side of the Elf Bar box.^{[1]
X
Research source} 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]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  US Food and Drug Administration
  U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
  
  Go to source} 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 your product verification number. Enter the number under the QR code into the text box, then press verify.^{[3]
X
Research source} 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]
  X
  Research source} Bleeding gums, shortness of breath, wheezing, and respiratory illness are all symptoms of vaping bad products.

Section 2 of 3:

Anti-Counterfeiting Features on the Security Sticker

Download Article

1
Scoring Another way to check if your vape is real is by inspecting the packaging.^{[5]
X
Research source} 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.
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]
X
Research source} The holograms on real Elf Bar stickers shift when you move the box back and forth.
3
Intricate anti-counterfeiting patterns and microtext 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.

Section 3 of 3:

Signs Your Elf Bar is Fake

Download Article

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]
X
Research source} If there’s nothing stamped on your packaging, it’s not a real Elf Bar.
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]
X
Research source} In general, if anything on the packaging or vape looks suspicious, consider it a fake.^{[9]
X
Research source}
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]
X
Research source}
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]
X
Research source}
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]
X
Research source}