A Pokemon TCG buying scam that's caused sellers to lose tens of thousands of dollars is being actively investigated by the FBI. The crime tactic is just the latest in people looking to commit crimes around Pokemon TCG.

While Pokemon TCG has no connection to crime itself, that hasn't stopped people from taking advantage of the high value of some cards. Individual sellers and card shops alike have been targeted, with some going so far as to use chainsaws to break in and steal Pokemon TCG cards. As individual Pokemon cards are small and can often be extremely valuable, they've unfortunately become a common target.

A pair of thieves have been arrested in Japan following a heist involving a collection of Pokemon cards valued at more than $200k.

It's now been revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into numerous cases of scammers committing fraud to steal Pokemon cards. Between September 2025 and March 2026, reportedly at least seven stores in the New Jersey area were victims of these scams, with the supposed customers shopping for high-value cards. Upon trying to complete their purchase, the scammer would typically scan their phone on a touchless credit card reader, which would fail to process. After that, they'd ask to have the store enter a credit card number manually. The scammer would then provide a working - but stolen - credit card number and walk out the door with their ill-gotten gains. This has reportedly resulted in thousands of dollars worth of Pokemon cards being stolen.

Source link