Labubu Scam Story: Lessons from Toy Fakes & Parenting

About four weeks ago, I set out on a mission. Not for business, not for horses, but for something even more sacred: a birthday wish.

My daughter had her heart set on a Labubu, an adorable, mischievous little toy from PopMart that’s practically a currency of cool among Gen Z collectors. These things are harder to catch than a loose horse in a 50-acre pasture, but finally, a few popped up online. I got up before sunrise, coffee in hand, laptop ready, and secured three of them.

They didn’t arrive in time for her birthday. But when they finally did, two weeks late, she tore into the boxes like Christmas morning.

And then… the heartbreak.

Fake.

The first one? Fake.

The second one? Also fake.

The third? Finally, one real Labubu stood among the imposters.

This might sound like just another Labubu scam story, but for me, it became something deeper, a reminder that real lessons often come wrapped in fake packages. My daughter, wise beyond her years, immediately spotted the counterfeits. She pointed out the differences with precision: the paint quality, packaging inconsistencies, the missing logos, the QR code to check authenticity. And in that moment, I realized how perceptive she’s become. She’s not just growing up, she’s learning how to protect herself.

I did the grown-up thing: I called the credit card company, filed a claim, and discovered the site I ordered from wasn’t the real PopMart US, it was a lookalike. I should’ve known better. I’m online all the time; I run two businesses! But even the most savvy of us get taken sometimes. Now her uncle, who lives in San Francisco, is making a pilgrimage to a PopMart brick-and-mortar store. He’ll likely stand in line for hours with Gen Z collectors, fingers crossed, hoping to secure a real birthday gift for the love of his niece….. May the odds be ever in his favor.

What does this have to do with horses, you ask? Everything.

Because just like parenting, horses demand consistency, presence, and the willingness to deal with setbacks. One day you think you’ve nailed that canter transition or boundary-setting moment, and the next day it all falls apart. But we keep showing up, in the saddle and in life.

Riding horses every day has taught me to notice the details, stay grounded, and move through frustration (and fear) with calm and curiosity. It’s a rhythm I bring to parenting, and even to scam-recovery.

So yes, this was a Labubu scam story but it’s also a story about being a mom, a horsewoman, and someone who’s still learning. Every ride, every parenting fail, every fake toy… they all teach us something.

Have you ever been scammed online? Or had a parenting moment where everything fell apart before it came together?

I’d love to hear it. Because sometimes, the most unexpected stories leave us with the best lessons.