Japanese Store Uses Pokémon Quiz to Thwart TCG Scalpers – Here’s How It Works

A Category 5 tropical scalping storm is ravaging the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) scene, and there’s no sign the weather will clear up in the immediate future.

Faced with an unprecedented wave of cynical mass-buying and reselling, one Japanese gaming store has implemented a rather cheeky security system to ward off wannabe deck dealers: a Pokémon quiz. And believe it or not, it’s working.

Bic Camera Ikebukuro’s Anti-Scalping Quiz

The store in question is Bic Camera Ikebukuro, which sells Pokémon Trading Card packs alongside cameras and camera equipment. Word of Bic Camera’s unorthodox anti-scalping efforts comes from X user Ryo Saeba, who posted a photo of an in-store announcement board advertising the quiz and its rules.

View the original tweet

How the Quiz Works

As outlined on the board, the quiz applies only to customers attempting to purchase Ninja Spinners booster packs, a Japanese-exclusive expansion featuring some very rare cards, including a Mega Greninja with unique art.

• The quiz comprises 15 questions drawn from a larger pool crafted by Bic Camera staff.
• The questions are in Japanese, and answers must be provided in Japanese to be valid.
• Phone use during the quiz is strictly prohibited; violators face a ban from purchasing booster packs.
• The store has threatened to stop selling Ninja Spinners entirely if too many cheaters are caught.

Post-Quiz Safeguards

Even after passing the quiz, customers face additional restrictions:

• Only one booster pack may be purchased per customer, preventing scalpers from hoarding packs for resale.
• The store removes the pack’s plastic packaging before handing it out, further tanking its resale value.

According to Saeba, this quiz has proven surprisingly effective. While Pokémon fans are acing the test, scalpers in it for the grift haven’t been so lucky.

“I can only imagine how embarrassing it is to be laughed out of a store because you don’t know Greninja’s name.”

Fan Reactions and Global Implications

In the wake of this success, many Japanese Pokémon fans are encouraging other gaming stores to follow Bic Camera’s lead. Pokémon card scalpers have gone to incredible—and incredibly illegal—lengths to secure inventory for resale, but many of them seem to draw the line at actually knowing anything about the franchise they’re trying to profit from.

As ridiculous as it might seem, a simple test might be enough to scare all but the most dedicated grifters away. If Bic Camera’s methods keep working, we may start seeing anti-scalping Pokémon quizzes pop up in game stores across the world. It’d be a fantastic way to test your Pokémon knowledge, if nothing else.