The name jade has been, and continues to be, applied to a variety of materials that superficially or closely resemble jade but are not composed of either jadeite or nephrite. Some of the problem can undoubtedly be traced to cultural and historical differences in word usage. The cultural concept of 'jade' is considerably broader in China and Korea than in the West. In China, for example, the word jade has traditionally been applied many 'precious/ornamental rock' that were thought to have similar religious and medicinal properties as jade.

Here is a list of the common “fake jade” misnomers:

• "Amazon or Colorado Jade": amazonite (blue-green or green) feldspar
• "Canadian jade": serpentine
• “Henan Jade”: Talc
• "Indian" Jade: aventurine
• "Korean" Jade: serpentine or gem serpentine (bowenite)
• "Mexican Jade": green-dyed Mexican calcite
• "New jade": serpentine
• "Olive jade": serpentine
• "Oregon or Swiss Jade": green chalcedony
• “Pink Jade”: rose quartz
• “South African Jade”: TL Grossularite
• "Styrian jade": serpentine
• “Suzhou Jade”: Serpentine
• "Transvaal Jade": green hydrogrossular garnet, grossularite

And personally I also consider dyed jade fake. Dyed jade can be most easily distinguished from undyed jade by examination with a Chelsea filter; undyed jadeite will not show the red color of dyed jadeite or nephrite when looked at through the filter. Or you can careful inspect the piece; the color will be seen to be distributed along grain boundaries rather than throughout the stone. Also, obtaining a written guarantee from the seller can protect yourself from dyed material.