How to Check if a Product Is Genuine: A Step-by-Step Guide
To check whether a product is genuine, find the security label on the packaging, scratch off the PIN layer, scan the QR code with your phone camera and enter the PIN; within seconds the official verification page shows whether the product is genuine. A BPOM check only confirms the product is registered, not that the unit in your hand is genuine, so do both when the product carries a security label.
This guide is for consumers. The example below uses a Shieldtag hologram sticker, used by 450+ brands in Indonesia; the steps are similar for QR + PIN labels from other providers. No special app is needed.
Step by step
Step 1Scratch off the PIN layer
Find the security hologram sticker on the packaging and scratch off its protective layer with a fingernail or coin until the 6-digit PIN appears. A sticker that is torn, peeling, or already shows a "VOID" pattern before you open it is a warning sign. See also how to find the PIN.
Step 2Scan the QR code
Point your phone camera at the QR code on the sticker. Make sure the link that opens is the official verification page (for Shieldtag: shieldtag.co), then enter the PIN. You can also open the Shieldtag verification page directly.
Step 3See the verification result
If the product is genuine, you see an authenticity confirmation with the product details. If you see a warning, for example an unknown code or one already checked many times elsewhere, don't use the product and report it to the brand or through the counterfeit report forum.
What is the difference between a BPOM check and an authenticity check?
| BPOM check | Authenticity check (QR + PIN) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it checks | The product's registration / marketing licence number | The unique code on the unit you hold |
| Proves the product is registered? | Yes | No (not its job) |
| Proves this unit is genuine? | No | Yes |
| Fooled by fake packaging? | Yes, the BPOM number is copied too | Hard, copied codes are flagged |
| How | cekbpom.pom.go.id or the BPOM Mobile app | Scan the QR on the label |
The two complement each other: a BPOM check confirms the product is legally on sale, an authenticity check confirms the item in your hand is not a copy.
What if the product has no security label?
Not every brand uses security labels. For those products:
- Buy from the brand's own store or its official marketplace store.
- Check the registration number at cekbpom.pom.go.id for cosmetics, medicines, supplements and processed food.
- Be wary of prices far below the market.
- Compare the packaging with official photos on the brand's site: font, colours, batch code and expiry date.
- Ask the brand directly through its official channels if in doubt.
Visual checks like these reduce the risk, but they are not as certain as verifying a unique code.
Why do authenticity checks matter, especially for cosmetics?
Counterfeit cosmetics can contain harmful ingredients. During intensified inspections on 10–18 February 2025, BPOM found 91 illegal cosmetics brands worth IDR 31.7 billion, more than ten times the same period a year earlier (IDR 2.8 billion).
Own a brand? How can consumers check your products?
Put a label with a unique code per product on every unit, so each buyer can verify it with a phone camera. Shieldtag supplies QR + PIN hologram stickers used by 450+ brands in Indonesia, with packages from IDR 2.75 million for 5,000 stickers (November 2026 prices). See the packages and how it works on Protect your products.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an app to check authenticity?
Not for Shieldtag labels; your phone camera is enough. The Shieldtag app is available on Android and iOS if you prefer.
Can I check the same product more than once?
Yes. Shieldtag PINs can be reused, so you can check again. Unusual check histories help brands detect copied codes.
The check says the product is not genuine. What should I do?
Keep the product and your proof of purchase, then report it to the brand or through Shieldtag's counterfeit report forum.
Is a product that passes a BPOM check always genuine?
Not always. A BPOM check proves the product is registered, not that the unit you bought is genuine.
Where is the PIN?
Under the scratch-off layer on the hologram sticker. There is an illustrated guide on the how-to-find-the-PIN page.
Sources
- Illegal cosmetics findings up more than tenfold (Waspada, Temuan Kosmetik Ilegal Meningkat 10 Kali Lipat) — Badan POM (Indonesian FDA), published 21 February 2025 (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Cek Produk BPOM (BPOM product registration search) — Badan POM (Indonesian FDA) (accessed 9 November 2026)