`POKE-SCAM:' COUNTERFEIT POKEMON CARDS RUNNING RAMPANT

`POKE-SCAM:' COUNTERFEIT POKEMON CARDS RUNNING RAMPANT

NEW YORK (Wireless Flash) -- Looks like the Pokemon craze is spawning some real "Poke-scams." According to Pokemon expert Leonard Tannenbaum, many scam artists pumping out counterfeit cards on the internet. Tannenbaum -- who runs the PokemonNation.com auction website -- says there are a few ways to spot a fake card. First, check the card's thickness: many phony Pokemon cards are thin and flimsy. The images on counterfeit cards also tend to look fuzzy because they've been photocopied. Another test involves ripping a card open and checking for a glue-like substance that's inside all real Pokemon cards. Unfortunately, Tannenbaum says this test also ruins the card and makes it worthless even if it turns out to be real.