Nike Authentication Service
Expert Nike authentication by independent specialists. Consistent, reliable results with over 99.89% accuracy
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Authenticate nowLegitGrails operates independently and is not associated with any brands it authenticates
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Trusted by 100,000+ customers
Very useful. Found a counterfeit pair of shoes I would have never figured out.
Chirag B · 05/2025
Seamless, reliable service. The process was efficient, communication was clear, and I got exactly what I needed without any hassle.
John S · 10/2026
Nike Authentication Service
Price
$7.00
Authentication certificate with final outcome
Receive a certificate with the final authentication result for your
Nike
item
From Dunks and SB releases to Kobes and Air Force collaborations, the Nikes that resell above retail are the ones copied most. Our Nike authentication service compares your pair with verified references for that exact model and colorway, down to the size tag, insole, stitching and box label, and returns a real or fake verdict with a certificate.
How a Nike check works: photos in, result out
Step 1
Upload photos of the pair
Take the photos listed on this page in daylight: both sides, the size tag, the insole and the stitching under it, the outsole and the box label.
Step 2
Authenticators check the whole pair
Our authenticators compare your pair with verified references for that exact model and release, from the shape and stitching to the labels and the box. If a photo cannot settle it, we ask for another.
Step 3
Result and certificate
You get an authentic or counterfeit result by email with a digital certificate. Anyone can check it by typing certificates-legitgrails.com.
What we check on Nike
How to tell a real Nike from a fake
On Nike pairs the toe box is the first tell: Dunk replicas often sit flatter at the tip and Air Force 1 copies look boxier. These are the parts of a pair our authenticators check from your photos.
01
Toe box and side profile
Toe box height and curve, Swoosh shape and placement, panel cut for the model.
02
Size tag
Style code matching the colorway, production dates, font weight and spacing.
03
Stitching
Even, secure stitching around the toe box, the Swoosh and the heel.
04
Insole and stitching under it
Logo print, then the stitching and foam color underneath.
05
Heel tab
Embroidery or print on the heel, and the heel height and shape.
06
Tongue label
Logo weave, stitching around the label and tongue padding.
07
Outsole
Pivot point, tread pattern and logo moulding.
08
Box label
Style code, colorway name and size matching the size tag.
Real vs fake Nike, model by model
Dunk and SB Dunk · Dunk Low Panda · Dunk High · Air Force 1 Low · Air Max 97 · Air Fear of God 1 · Kobe 5 · Kobe 6 Grinch · Tech Fleece
Photos to send
The Nike photo checklist, shot by shot
Clear photos in daylight decide most checks. Shoot each item flat and in focus, without filters. The same list works for Dunks, Air Force 1s, Air Max and every other Nike pair.
- 01 Outer side of both shoesSide by side, shot level with the sole, so the panel shapes and the Swoosh are easy to compare.
- 02 Inner side of both shoesThe inside panels, including any small logos or text near the midfoot.
- 03 Toe box, front and topShows the toe box height and shape, the first tell on Dunks and Air Force 1s.
- 04 Heel from behindStraight on, so the heel shape and the heel tab print or embroidery are sharp.
- 05 Size tag inside the shoeFlat and sharp enough to read the style code, both dates, the UPC and the code next to the QR.
- 06 Tongue label, front and backThe logo label on top of the tongue and the label behind it.
- 07 Insole, top and undersideLift the insole out if it comes out easily, then shoot its print and its underside.
- 08 Under the insoleThe stitching on the footbed and the glue strip along it, with the insole out.
- 09 OutsoleThe whole sole flat, plus a close-up of the tread and the pivot circle.
- 10 Box labelThe label on the end of the box, with the style code, the size and the barcode readable.
- 11 Stamped digits on the boxIf the box carries stamped or embossed digits, a close-up of them.
- 12 Anything that came with itReceipt, platform tag or slip, spare laces. These help, but the pair decides.
Nike clothing such as Tech Fleece: the front and back, every label inside, the wash tags, the zips and the logo print.
Why we check the whole pair
We check the whole pair, not just the label
A genuine size tag or box does not make the shoes genuine. Labels are copied from real pairs, and real boxes get reused for fakes.
Some counterfeiters now mix real and fake parts on one pair. In a March 2025 case in Shanghai, a group sold more than 3,400 pairs of branded sneakers built from genuine and fake parts, such as a real sole under a fake upper. It was the brand owner's own inspection that found the mix.
That is why our authenticators look at the upper, the stitching, the sole, the insole and the labels together, and check that every part belongs to the same release.
Bought on a marketplace or resale app?
Check the pair as soon as it arrives
A platform tag, a verification slip, a receipt or the original box can be copied or moved to another pair. They are one checkpoint, not the answer.
Photograph the pair when it arrives, before you wear it, remove tags or throw the box away, and keep the listing photos and the order page.
Buying from a private seller? Ask for the photos on this page before you pay and send them to us.
Authenticate nowNike codes
Nike has no serial number. Here is what the codes can and cannot tell you
Nike and Jordan shoes carry product codes, not a serial number you can look up. Each code names the product the label claims to be. A fake can print the same codes, so a code can expose a fake but never prove a pair is real.
Style code
Size tag and box label, for example CW2288-111 on a white Air Force 1 or DD1391-100 on a Panda Dunk
What it shows
The model and colorway the label claims: a six character model code, a dash and a three digit color code.
What it cannot prove
That the pair is that model. Fakes print real style codes, and searching the code only shows what the label says.
UPC barcode
Size tag and box label
What it shows
The retail number for one model in one size. On a genuine pair the tag and the box carry the same number.
What it cannot prove
Authenticity. Fake labels pass the barcode check digit, and some carry a real Nike UPC that belongs to a different shoe or size.
QR code on the size tag
Most pairs made since 2019, with a 13 character code printed next to it
What it shows
A Nike QR code opens qr.nike.com, and the printed code should match the one inside the QR. Pairs made before 2019, and some from 2019 and 2020, have none.
What it cannot prove
A verdict. Nike's QR page shows no product and no result, and it opens the same page for any well formed code, including made-up ones.
Dates on the size tag
Two dates in month, day, year order
What it shows
A production window. It is one of the things an authenticator compares with the release of that colorway.
What it cannot prove
Anything on its own. Nike does not publish what the two dates mean, and restocks can carry later dates.
Box label
The end of the box
What it shows
The model name, style code, colorway, size and UPC, which should match the size tag.
What it cannot prove
That the shoes inside are genuine. Real boxes are reused and box labels are reprinted, so a matching box does not clear the pair.
Free tool
Nike code checker
Type a style code or UPC, or paste the link your phone shows when you scan the tag. The checker tells you what the code points to and what does not add up. A code alone cannot prove a pair is real, so for a verdict send photos to our authenticators.
Authenticated. For Charity.
To celebrate ten years of British Red Cross second-hand fashion on eBay UK, pre-loved designer pieces will be auctioned, each one authenticated by LegitGrails
Upload photos of the pair on this page and choose how fast you want the answer. Our authenticators compare the shape, stitching, labels, insole, sole and box with verified references for that model and release, then send an authentic or counterfeit result with a digital certificate. Prices run from $4 to $7 per item.
Nike does not offer one. Its QR page and the Nike apps give no authenticity result. LegitGrails works online: upload photos on this page or in the LegitGrails app and an authenticator reviews them. You do not need to send the shoes anywhere.
No. Nike prints a style code, a UPC barcode and, on most pairs made since 2019, a QR code with a 13 character code. These identify the product, not your pair, and none of them can be looked up to prove a pair is real. Fakes print real codes, so we treat every code as one checkpoint and check the pair itself.
You can scan it, but it proves nothing. A genuine Nike QR code opens qr.nike.com, which shows no product and no verdict and opens the same page for any well formed code, even an invented one. If a QR code opens a site that is not Nike's, treat that as a warning sign. Our free Nike code checker reads the link for you.
You choose the speed when you order. The fastest option returns a result in under 30 minutes, the standard option within 12 hours, and the price grid on this page shows every speed. The clock starts once all the photos we need are in.
Both sides of the pair, the toe box, the heel, the size tag inside the shoe, the tongue labels, the insole and the stitching and glue under it, the outsole, the box label and any stamped digits on the box. Daylight and sharp focus matter more than the camera. The full list is on this page, and if something is missing we ask for it.
Yes. Authentic and counterfeit results include a free secure digital certificate with an explanation of the authentication, sent by email. To check a LegitGrails certificate, type certificates-legitgrails.com yourself instead of trusting a QR code printed on a card.
Look at the toe box first. On a genuine white Air Force 1 it is slimmer, while many copies look boxier, with outlines that are too thick and dark and a dot pattern that does not match. Then check the stitching, the heel counter and the sole.
Yes. A platform tag or verification slip is one checkpoint and can be copied or moved to another pair, so we judge the shoes themselves. Send the same photos as for any pair, and do it soon after delivery so you know where you stand.
