As of February 2023, a trademark lawsuit has resulted in the previous manufacturer of Elf Bar no longer using that name. Instead, they are referred to as EB Create. Any product labeled as Elf Bar in the US market is either counterfeit or a look-a-like of the original and beloved BC5000 that is sold by VBR. 

Fans of Elf Bar, a manufacturer of disposable vapes that are extremely popular with adult vapers, might be a bit confused about their naming convention, and concerned about the possibility of fake Elf Bars. As a master distributor of EBCreate and EBDesign vapes, we are going to answer all of your questions. If you are at an establishment and see an EBDesign priced so low that it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Elf Bar emerged as a desired product with a price point that if not premium is certainly not a low-ball entry. They accomplished this by using minimum advertised prices and a strong network of distributors.

An Elf Bar in a popular flavor that is available well below the typical price point iis either being with minimal profit margin or you are dealing with a fake. So stay alert. 

How to Spot a Fake Elf Bar

• Scan the QR Code on the box or packaging. 
• Verify that you have been directed to the official product verification website. 

Guide to Buying an Elf Bar or EBCreate Vape

• Elf Bars in the US are now sold under names EBCreate and EBDesign
• Internationally, especially in the booming UK market, the Elf Bar name will continue to be used. 
• The new EBDesign name is being phased out for EBCreate but mixed and new inventory still exist with both names as of Fall 2023.
• To guarantee the new inventory and guaranteed authentic products, purchase directly from a master distributor like Mi-Pod or use the Mi-Pod Store Locator to locate resellers who purchase EBDesign/EBCreate Disposals directly from us. 
• With a little information it is easy to avoid counterfeit EBDesign, EBCreate, and Elf Bar Disposables.

EBDesign and EBCreate Verification QR Codes

In the 21st century we have tools and information at our disposal that were unimaginable 10 years ago. Specifically, the use of QR codes to verify the authenticity of the product you hold in your hand.

At the top of this article is an infographic which provides an easy two-step process. You can avoid this concern entirely by purchasing your products directly through an EBCreate master distributor like Mi-Pod.

• Scan QR Code on box or side of packaging
• Verify that the website opened by QR Code is the official website
• EBDESIGN: ebdesign-us.com
• EBCreate: ebcreate.com
• Enter security code which can be found beneath the QR Code

To read the QR Code, simply point your phone camera at the QR code on the box and a clickable link should appear on your phone display. You can also visit the verification website, either EBDesign or EBCreate for the US market and Elf Bar internationally, and manually enter the code under the QR code. 

If your product says EBDesign, visit the verification page at ebdesign-us.com. Products labeled EBCreate can be verified at the ebcreate.com verification page. Authenticating your vape should only take a few seconds. 

Fake Elf Bar, EBCreate and EBDesign Websites

Keep in mind that the manufacturers of fake and counterfeit Elf Bar and EBCreate products have created their own websites that mimic the look of the look and feel of the real one.

Some of these fake Elf Bar, EBDesign and EBCreate websites include: ebcreate.co, ebcreates.com, ebcreateusa.com, and elfibar.com.

These are pretty clever domain names and its and it is a devious ploy.

The authentic product QR codes will direct you to the ebdesign-us.com and ebcreate.com. 

How to Avoid a Fake Elf Bar or EBCreate Disposable

The easiest way to avoid buying a fraudulent Elf Bar or EBCreate disposable is to purchase it higher up the supply chain. This is a great reason to purchase from a master distributor such as Mi-Pod Wholesale. Purchasing from a master distributor gives you better access and piece of mind that you are receiving the newest inventory of the best products, which are supported by a dedicated sales and customer service team.

Buying from a master distributor is more convenient than purchasing directly from the manufacturer, but provides the same benefits in terms of reducing time after launch date, excellent inventory, and certainty that you are getting authentic products. 

If you do not have a business, when recommend checking out our EB Vapes Collection, or using our Store Locator to find local businesses that purchase authentic EBDesign and EBCreate vapes directly from Mi-Pod. Our store locator has a handy function that allows you to sort by brand, only showing businesses that carry you preferred brand of disposable. 

Elf Bar vs EBCreate vs EBDesign

The Elf Bar name is no longer used in the US due to a trademark dispute with VPR . The model numbers remain the same, but the name change has caused quite a bit of confusion. Which is a shame since Elf Bar's renowned flavor and quality has created a legion of loyal customers. 

Internationally, the Elf Bar name will continue to be used. In the US, EBDesign products initially shipped but they are gradually being replaced by products with the EBCreate label. 

EBCreate BC5000

The name Elf Bar is gone in the US but the most popular product lives on in the form of the EBCreate BC5000. Compared to the less prominent EBDesign TE6000, it is the more likely to have copycats made in lieu of the fact it is one of the most successful vape designs ever. As a master distributor, Mi-Pod's EBCreate BC5000 collection should be your go-to for the newest inventory of authentic EB Vapes. 

Fake Elf Bars

The recognizable design of the original Elf Bar and now EBCreate disposable vapes are unfortunately ubiquitous, which made it easy for disreputable companies to copy the color schemes, flavor names, and design of their products. 

The EBCreate BC5000, formerly the Elf Bar BC5000, proved a particularly popular disposable vape with adult vapers, and an obvious target for black market knock-offs. 

UK Customs Working with Elf Bar

Anyone who has travelled to the United Kingdom or Ireland recently knows that Elf Bar remains a ubiquitous and popular presence in those areas. The UK based conveniencestore.co reported in the summer of 2022 that over a million fake Elf Bars had been intercepted by UK customs. 

Is Your Elf Bar Fake? 

These are the previous instructions for how to determine if you had purchased a fake Elf Bar. EBCreate has not released new information on the anti-counterfeit sticker technology, warranting inclusion of this information. 

QR Codes and special stickers were used in years past to prevent fake Elf Bars from passing as the real deal. A holographic sticker that resembles an Elf Bar adds expense that most black market manufacturers are not looking to spend.

The QR code is more useful for most customers, unless you have an authentic Elf Bar or EBDesign holographic sticker on hand for comparison. There are fake verification websites, so make sure you are directed to one of three possible destination pages. International customers will still be directed to Elfbar.com by the QR code. EBDesign-us.com and EBCreate.com apply to purchases in the US market. 

SCAN THE QR CODE ON THE BOX TO VERIFY AUTHENTICITY

1. Point the camera on your phone to the UPC on your Elf Bar box (Note that the images below are out of date)
2. Your phone should upload your device data and display a link.
3. Click the link to Elf Bar’s security page, where you will see one of two messages.
4. If you are unable to scan the code, you can enter the number manually on Elf Bar's verification page here.

SAFETY FEATURES DESIGNED IN THE PHYSICAL STICKER

In addition to scanning the QR code on the Elf Bar box to verify your vape, there are physical security measures in place that you can leverage just by looking at the sticker itself. If you cannot see each of the “built-in” security elements when looking at the security sticker, you may have a clone.

1. Anti-Stripping: The sticker has been scored, so when someone tries to scrape it off, it falls apart instead of coming off in one piece. It makes it difficult to steal the labels from legit Elf Bars and reuse them on cloned devices.
2. Anti-Counterfeiting Pattern: Difficult pattern to counterfeit.
3. Fluorescent Ink: Elf Bar has imprinted its name across the front in ink only visible under fluorescent light. If you have a fluorescent light-bulb, this is an easy test to use.
4. Holographic Laser Thread: Easy to check for and hard to counterfeit.
5. Micro Text: an additional layer of difficulty to counterfeit.
6. Anti-Counterfeit Code: Some fake Elf Bars will not have this code on the sticker.

What Should I Do When I Find a Fake Elf Bar?

For international customers, visit the Report a Counterfeit Elf Bar page, and they will pursue suspected counterfeiters. 

Why Buy from a Reputable Elf Bar Retailer?

If you buy from a reputable retailer or website, your odds of getting an authentic (un-tampered with) disposable vape product go way up.

Lost Mary, EBCreate, Funky Republic and other major delivers directly to select master distributors like Mi-Pod, where they fulfill the reseller’s order, so they have product when you order from them.

Resellers buy from Master Distributors, so they may have more markup and not have all the latest flavors or collections, but they are a lot safer to buy from than a non-licensed business. You can find a great list of Elf Bar retailers at the Elf Bar store locator page here.

If you do not have a certified Elf Bar retailer near you, you can also shop all Elf Bar flavors online at Mipod.com.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT ELF BAR’S CLONE ISSUES?

Reputable vape companies are doing their best to create quality vape products with premium ingredients because they plan on being in business for a long time. A company that steals trade dress and IP is looking to make a quick buck.

While the a clone product might taste quite similar as they are derived from similar combinations of flavorings, generally they are lacking and not as good of quality. It is exceedingly unlikely that they will have the level quality control when it comes consistency between lots, and 

The hardware, especially the all-important coil and battery, are more likely to be defective in fake Elf Bar or EBCreate disposable vape. 

Elf Bar has intercepted over a million fake vape products bearing its product names.

A high percentage of the cost of each vaping device are the built-in internal safety measures. A fair amount of technology and electronics in an average vape device: a lithium battery, safety features like auto fire safety technology, charging technology, atomizing, and programming tech is all part of a modern vape. With a protected device in production, each vape manufacturer creates the best recipes, procures the best ingredients for their vape juice, and then prays that adult vapers will like those flavors enough to buy them repeatedly.

Vape Pirates do the bare minimum to fool you into buying their clones to keep their profit margins as high as possible before they disappear and start over elsewhere. These counterfeit factories do not adhere to safety or quality regulations because they aren’t thinking about your safety or satisfaction, creating a safe device, using safe juice, or getting your repeat business. They already plan on disappearing as soon as things get dicey to start again under a different name. If their device explodes in your hand or their juice makes you ill, they don’t care. They will disappear and resurface elsewhere to do it again to a new unsuspecting group of vapers.

In Conclusion

Regardless of where you source your Elf Bars, use Elf bar’s anti-counterfeiting technology to verify the authenticity and report any clones you accidentally buy to help get them off the shelf for the next person.

Check the authenticity using the sticker to verify your serial number on the manufacturer’s website and look for any of the tell-tell signs provided above, you can be assured you have a well-designed, safe vape filled with the juice you paid for. Anything else is unacceptable yet entirely under your control.