FBI Issues Surprise Official 'Pokémon' Trading Card Warning

Published Nov 2, 2026, 12:00 PM EST Patricia is the former editor-in-chief of Kotaku, where she spent a decade writing and editing. Prior to that, she served as the Culture Editor at Polygon, and as a reporter at The Verge. Hernandez specializes in Pokémon TCG, Nintendo, and offbeat internet culture stories. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified new Pokémon scams Image: Warner Bros. Pictures Sign in to your Polygon.com account There's big money involved in selling Pokémon cards, so it was only a matter of time before the Federal Bureau of Investigation became a real player on the scene. A few weeks after the announcement of an official investigation into the biggest Pokémon card heist ever recorded, the Department of Justice is back with a new warning for people who participate in the popular TCG hobby. The notice hails from the FBI's Newark, New Jersey, offices, which have become aware of a new scam targeting local card shops and Pokémon TCG vendors. Seven shops have been targeted by a scheme that lets bad actors buy high-value cards without spending any money. These thieves will first try to pay for the cards via a contactless mobile payment. The transaction will inevitably fail, at which point the fraudsters will apparently ask cashiers to enter the credit card number manually. The purchase will then go through, but weeks later, shops are informed that the transaction was made using a stolen or compromised credit card. By the time stores learn something is wrong, the swindlers have usually already resold the card. Another method that's suddenly gained prominence involves a cell phone app "operated by a criminal network that stores multiple stolen credit cards," the FBI warns. The grifters hold their phone to the reader, and the app cycles through many credit card numbers until it finds one the system approves. Because this method can take time, the FBI says criminals typically try to divert the cashier's attention. "In one example, a man attempted to sell a box of trading cards to the store while an accomplice reached over the counter and stole additional cards," the notice reads. Pokémon robberies are on the rise Though con artists keep developing new ways to steal expensive Pokémon cards, the FBI notes that many are keeping it simple. There are many instances, for example, where vendors are robbed at gunpoint by assailants waiting outside of conventions or events. Break-ins, like the Florida man who used a chainsaw to force his way into a card shop, are sadly also becoming an occurrence. It's become enough of a problem that the agency is encouraging tabletop establishments to install security cameras, alarms, and panic buttons. The agency also suggests that shops keep multiple people at the register to watch for distractions, and to ask for photo ID for some credit card purchases. Photo: Thimo Pedersen via Unsplash While this issue targets shops and vendors, average people who purchase cards from resellers should take heed as well — especially if the price of a product seems too good to be true. And with counterfeit cards becoming more convincing, collectors have plenty of reasons to exercise caution when dealing with third-party purchases.