Goblin doll Labubu's evil twin contaminating Australian supply, authorities warn
Via its Facebook account, Fair Trading warned consumers that Lafufu – the nickname given to Labubu counterfeits, which look like a worse-off version of the furry elf doll – have infiltrated the Australian market of Labubus.
'Labubu toys are all the rage right now – but beware, some online sellers are tricking shoppers with counterfeit Lafufu [fake Labubu] products or not delivering at all,' the warning read.
It told collectors to look out for the Lafufus' disfigured ears spread far apart from each other, and to count the number of its teeth (if there are more or fewer than nine fangs), which it also said may be 'poorly shaped'.
Labubu, a helpful elf-like monster, was created in 2015 by a Belgium-based artist from Hong Kong, Kasing Lung. Labubu was one of several monsters illustrated by Lung for three children's books based on Nordic folklore.
Loading
While the original Labubu is already off-putting to many, its evil twin can be told apart by its frequently mangled features. Some Lafufus' heads can be removed from their furry bear suits, others' faces are completely upside-down. Some Lafufus are even more sought after than the originals they are mocking.
Part of the Labubu hype derives from their packaging in 'blind boxes', meaning buyers can't see which Labubu they get before they buy them. The rarity of some colours and special editions keeps customers buying more, but also makes it harder to detect when one is fake before taking it home.
Fair Trading advised collectors to limit their purchases to legitimate businesses and to beware of overseas websites offering Labubus at 'suspiciously low prices'. It added that scam stores could be reported on the Fair Trading website.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
9 News
3 hours ago
- 9 News
Man dies after becoming NSW's first confirmed Australian bat lyssavirus case
A man has died after contracting the first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus in New South Wales.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Misleading 'ghost stores' haunting Australian consumers
Australians have been warned to stay alert for "ghost stores" as shoppers who fall victim have few avenues for recourse. At least four such stores have been noted by the Australian consumer watchdog for misleading shoppers into buying low-quality items. They often claim to be local Australian businesses that are closing down and selling off high-quality goods, when they are actually based overseas and sell poor-quality, drop-shipped clothes and footwear. "This conduct preys on the empathy of consumers who have a genuine desire to support local businesses," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission deputy chair Catriona Lowe said. The commission specifically issued public warning notices about and However, the issue appears to be more widespread with the watchdog receiving at least 360 reports about 60 online retailers since the start of 2025. Many complaints alleged ghost stores were refusing to provide refunds, were offering only partial refunds or were not responding to complaints at all. Normally, Australians could pursue their consumer rights and go to a local store. But because so many of the shops operate overseas, the usual consumer guarantees would not apply, Consumer Action Law Centre legal director Stephen Nowicki said. "There's very little you can do," he told AAP. The commission has urged consumers to contact their bank to see if they can reverse the charge or stop the transaction. While this can be done when Australians fall victim to scams, the situation with ghost stores is less clear because shoppers still receive a product. "It becomes harder in these kinds of situations, compared to an outright scam, to know what is a genuine discount versus what someone is presenting as a discount but is actually something not worth what they are promoting it as," Mr Nowicki said. But there are some potential areas for reform. Though governments could not pass laws that would give consumers jurisdiction against an overseas business, they could try to block and prevent advertising in the first place. Operators generally target Australians through social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They make themselves appear local by closing and then rebranding under new names that use different Australian suburbs, towns or cities. The competition and consumer commission has written to Meta, which owns both platforms, and e-commerce giant Shopify, which can be used to host and operate ghost web stores. It has also tried to educate shoppers. Ghost store domains often end with ".com" and not ". and many use AI-generated images. They also generally do not provide a physical address or a means of contact beyond an email address, while their Privacy Policy or Terms of Service sometimes refers to international regulations rather than Australian laws.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Man dies after becoming NSW's first confirmed Australian bat lyssavirus case
A man has died after contracting the first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus in New South Wales.
