Labubu dolls are cute, but buying them online can rob you of your money: Here's why

Labubu dolls

Labubu dolls have taken the internet by storm. You can now spot almost every influencer and celebrity posing with a cute plushy Labubu toy. These little blind box collectibles, designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and sold by Pop Mart, have become the latest obsession—thanks to their quirky charm and the surprise element of not knowing which design you’ll get until you open the box.

But with popularity comes problems.

Cybercriminals have jumped on the Labubu hype. They have set up fake online stores that look like legit retailers, as per Kaspersky. Their main goal is to trick excited fans into handing over their credit card details and personal info.

Cybersecurity experts at Kaspersky have flagged hundreds of these scam websites, many of which are available in multiple languages—Portuguese, Spanish, Hungarian, and more—to target collectors across the globe.

These scam websites often use Pop Mart's branding and flashy deals to lure people in. Some offer “rare editions” or “imported Labubu dolls from Japan” at shockingly low prices, which almost seem too good to be true. And unfortunately, they are.

The spike in scams follows a huge rise in Labubu’s popularity since April 2024, especially after celebrities began showing off their collections. Resale prices for rare dolls have gone up to $3,000, making fans even more desperate to grab a deal—something scammers are clearly counting on.

One fake site in Spanish talks about the story behind Labubu to sound convincing. Another in Portuguese lists dolls for just R$ 47.90. And many of them push buyers to “act fast” or “shop now,” creating a sense of urgency that leads people to rush without double-checking.

Experts strongly advise buyers to only purchase Labubu dolls from verified sellers like Pop Mart’s official website or stores. And before you click “buy,” take a moment to check the URL—just to be safe.

Bottom line? The dolls are adorable, but getting scammed definitely isn’t.