Spotting fake EXPO tickets

Organizers of next year’s EXPO have released a series of guidelines to prevent the spread of fake tickets. These tips will help buyers spot the intricacies that distinguish genuine tickets from fraudulent imitations.

1. When held under ultra-violet light, genuine tickets display fibers of red, blue and green.

2. The edges of genuine tickets change from bronze to green in light when cards are turned over.

3. Words ‘EXPO 2010’ can be seen in the fine detail of the design under magnification.

4. The color on the bottom edges will change between red and green when the cards are turned.

5. The bottom edges of Expo tickets are have a distinctly patterned texture.

6. Colorful spots can be seen on the reverse of the ticket in sunlight.

7. Under ultra-violet light, a green Haibo (the mascot of the Shanghai EXPO) will appear on the reverse of the ticket.

8. Circular shapes are impressed into the ticket.

9. Each ticket carries a unique code consisting of both numbers and letters.