Sad to say, there is still a big supply of fake beanie babies out there.  Whenever you are looking to buy a rare beanie baby it is best to go with one that has been authenticated.  Don't be fooled by ones that say authentic but have not been authenticated.  Yes, some that say authentic ARE authentic but you should still be wary until you have seen pictures of the tags (both hang tag and tush tag). 

     Know your tags and know common counterfeit errors.  You can learn a lot about counterfeit tags and beanies on Ms. Janie's website or on Aboutbeanies.  Common counterfeit errors of the first generation tush tag include the "3" of "ages 3 and up" touching the "a" of "and"; and the script being too bold.  A common counterfeit error in a hang tag is the name of the beanie being too close to the hole.  Sometimes a slightly different font is used on the tags.  If you can get hold of it, Mary Beth's Bean Bag World Monthly- December 1999 (has a picture of Billionaire 2 on the front), has a very thorough article dealing with all the older tags.

    You will also want to study the beanie baby itself.  Are the eyes postioned properly?  Are they the right color?  Are the seams on the head correct? (Example... I recently saw a Nana the monkey on Ebay that had the seams on the top of the head totally off-centered compared to the eyes.  It was extremely obvious when compared to a real Bongo.  Also, the nose on this Nana was embroidered on too low.  On the side view of the head, you could see it was very misshapened compared to the real. ) Many times the colors are off one shade or so on the body of the beanie.  Know exactly what the beanie you are interested in looks like and compare the one you are looking at with others online.

    It is best to buy a higher priced beanie baby that has been authenticated rather than spending your hard earned money on a fake.

   If you do discover a fake beanie baby for sale on Ebay, just remember that many times the seller is unaware that it is a fake.  There is the very real chance that they were fooled themselves years ago.  So be  polite when writing to them. 

       For sellers, I would like to say that when you have one of those rare or more expensive beanie babies (valued at $50.00 or more) if you get them authenticated you can most times get a lot higher of a price than if it is not authenticated.  Also, remember that it is illegal to sell counterfeit items, so be careful that your beanie baby is authentic.

   I hope this helps everyone have a safer and happier Ebay experience.  :)