SEATTLE, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers that Counterfeit Beanie Babies are being passed off as rare Beanie Baby Collectibles in Minnesota and Arizona. Washington and Oregon collectors should be extremely cautious in buying Beanie Babies from unfamiliar sources, such as the Internet and private sellers.

"So far we have not heard from any Washington or Oregon residents who believe they've purchased a fake Beanie Baby," said Robert W.G. Andrew, BBB President. "But we are concerned that collectors here -- who purchased Beanie Babies from the secondary market -- may have a counterfeit on their hands and not even know it."

Beanie Babies is a registered trademark of Ty Inc., located in Oakbrook, Illinois. Ty sells its Beanie Babies through small gift shops and retailers. The retail stores sell them from five to ten dollars (five dollars is the price recommended by Ty). When demand for the Beanie Babies exceeds supply, especially when the item is no longer produced by Ty, the price goes up, reaching from $500 to $2,000 for the most rare of the collection. The "retired" collectibles are sold in what is called the secondary market, which is made up of some regularly established Ty-dealer stores, individuals selling from their homes and on the Internet. The Minnesota Better Business Bureau reports that the following Beanie Baby counterfeits are believed to have been sold over the Internet to Minnesota buyers:

Chilly the Polar Bear, Peanut the Elephant, Teddy Teal Old Face, Spot Version I (without the spot)

Ty dealers in Arizona also confirmed that counterfeit Beanies are being sold over the Internet. The counterfeits are made to look authentic, even to the tags which are attached. The most valued collectibles are the "mint" condition Beanie Babies which have the original cloth tag sewn in (called the tush tag in the trade) and a heart shaped Ty swing tag attached to the ear.

The tags on the counterfeits, may, upon close inspection, reveal differences which can be detected if compared with an authentic Beanie Baby of the same model. Some of the tags may appear to be smaller and there may be differences in the sewing; some of the fakes are not cut and sewn with the same precision or the same stitching patterns as the real ones.

The best, most reliable sources for real Beanie Baby products are licensed Ty dealers with local stores. The Internet poses the greatest risk to consumers as most sellers demand a money order or cashiers check before they will ship.

Collectors who have Beanie Babies of the models being counterfeited should check their authenticity by comparing them to a known authentic of the same design. The best place to do this is with an established Ty licensed dealer. In Washington and Oregon states, Beanie Babies are sold at Hallmark stores and various gift shops and florists.

For more information about counterfeit Beanie Babies contact:

Ron Graham, President, Minnesota BBB, 612-695-2468