How to Tell If Your N95 Mask Is Real or Counterfeit

Is that a real respirator or fake face cover? Here’s how to find out.

Since the pandemic began, hospitals have faced a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially real N95 masks. Respirator masks were initially nearly impossible to find for people at high risk outside medical facilities, who are not given access to the supplies provided to doctors and nurses.

Dwindling supplies led to an unreliable retail market, with thousands of counterfeit N95 respirators mixed in with genuine N95s for sale, plus real and fake masks from other countries such as KN95 masks from China and KR94 masks from Korea. The CDC and NIOSH have raised the alarm about these counterfeit respirators, but the information is complicated, confusing, and hard to find all in one place.

So how do you tell if an N95 mask is real or counterfeit? How can you test if the mask you have will actually protect you? And where can you find N95 masks for sale that are verified as genuine?

Disclaimer: Pandemic Pal has compiled this guide from several authoritative sources including the CDC and medical professionals. However, as this is a rapidly evolving situation, data and science-based recommendations could change at any time. If that occurs, we will update the information accordingly. This page contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Why People Outside Hospitals Need N95 Masks

Here at Pandemic Pal, our goal is to help people who are at high risk of life-threatening complications from COVID-19 but were shut out from access to N95 masks early in the pandemic. This includes people with a disability or chronic illness who may need extra protection for essential outings like doctor’s appointments and grocery shopping. It also includes home health care workers such as personal care attendants, who are often hired privately or paid by Medicaid and do not have an agency or medical facility to provide them with PPE. These communities and others have no choice but to buy masks wherever they can find them, often at inflated prices.

We help by compiling a list of N95 masks for sale, allowing shoppers to compare prices and evaluate sellers rather than desperately buying the first masks they find. We hope this guide will provide you with the information you need to evaluate masks for sale and make an educated decision about your purchase.

Find N95 Masks for Sale

Signs Your N95 Mask Is Real

1. NIOSH-approved respirators have head straps, which provide a tighter fit and greater protection against viruses and particles. High-quality KN95 respirators also have head straps, however, some cheaper but still legitimate KN95 masks use ear loops. Ear loops do not provide as tight of a seal, so you should add a head strap.
2. All NIOSH-approved respirators have an approval label on the packaging and/or instructions. You can check the CDC Certified Respirator List to see if the mask you own or want to buy is listed there. For internationally produced masks such as KN95 from China, you can check the FDA Authorized Respirators List.
3. Real respirator masks are not decorative like cloth masks and typically come in plain colors such as white, gray, and blue.
4. If your respirator claims to be NIOSH-approved, check to see if it has the exterior markings shown in the image above. It should list an approval number (that you can verify using the link above), model number, filter class and efficiency level, NIOSH name spelled correctly and the brand name.

Signs Your N95 Mask Is Counterfeit

1. Counterfeit respirators often have no facepiece markings (including NIOSH), and/or approval (i.e. TC) numbers on either the facepiece or headband.
2. Use of fake approval numbers or stealing another company’s approval number. If the approval number does not match any items on the CDC/NIOSH or FDA lists above, or matches a product from a different manufacturer, the mask is counterfeit.
3. It says NIOSH but has ear loops rather than head straps.
4. NIOSH is often misspelled on counterfeit respirators.
5. It has the FDA logo on the box. The FDA does not permit its logo to be used on products.
6. It claims to be NIOSH-approved for use by children. NIOSH does not approve respirator masks for children.

I’ve been hearing a lot in the news about counterfeit 3M N95 masks. What’s going on?

With the rise in demand for N95 masks, it was inevitable that at some point someone was going to try and “make a quick buck” off of them. Counterfeit N95 masks have been saturating the market for some time now, but in good news, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other law enforcement agencies have started to crack down on the problem by seizing counterfeit masks and even arresting people.
 

How big is the fake 3M N95 masks problem?

DHS recently seized 10 million fake masks. A raid in Queens led to the seizure of 1.7 million counterfeit N95 respirators and one person was arrested. Just in those two cases alone, almost 12 million counterfeit N95 masks were confiscated, so perhaps that can give you an idea of the massive magnitude of the counterfeit mask problem.
 

What is being done to solve the fake N95 mask problem?

3M has a page dedicated to identifying fraudulent 3M N95 respirators. They’ve fielded over 11,000 reports about fake masks. They are in 29 lawsuits regarding counterfeit masks. Of those 29 lawsuits, 10 have been granted preliminary injections and 16 of them were granted temporary restraining orders. There have been over 30,000 false or deceptive social media posts and e-commerce offerings removed by 3M. They are attempting to fight back, but as millions and millions of fraudulent masks flood the market, it’s been hard for 3M and authorities to keep up.
 

I see 3M N95 masks for sale, but the vendor is not an authorized distributor. Does this mean their masks are counterfeit?

No. There are many non-authorized vendors selling genuine 3M respirators. There are also some unintentionally selling counterfeits, and sadly, some knowingly selling fakes. 3M is the most counterfeited brand of respirators, because it is the most well-known.

The problem is that 3M only has a small number of authorized distributors, who are not selling to the public, and they are not particularly willing to add more distributors. So smaller companies are having to buy from those authorized distributors, or even middleman who buy from distributors, and then resell. It makes it more difficult to verify whether masks are genuine. 3M has a verification system, but it only applies to certain respirator models, so if you haven’t bought one of those models, there’s no way to check.

Pandemic Pal has done reasonable diligence to determine that the companies listed on our site are selling genuine 3M products. If we ever believed a company was intentionally selling fake respirators of any brand, we would remove them from our site.

Are there alternatives to 3M N95 respirators that I can be sure are genuine?

If you are concerned about the small risk of purchasing counterfeit 3M respirators, there is an easy solution — choose a different brand. We always recommend the 3PE brand mask which is available from Protectly. They are an authorized distributor, and 3PE masks are made in the USA, so counterfeiting is not a problem. You can also easily buy genuine respirators made by other well-established companies like Moldex, Kimberly-Clark, Honeywell, and Harley.

Plenty of other brands make equally good if not better products than 3M. 3M just has the name recognition. Remember, all NIOSH-approved N95 respirators must pass the same tests for safety and effectiveness!

3M N95 Mask Alternatives

I really want 3M brand respirators and I don’t work at a hospital. Where can I find masks that are genuine?

We only list suppliers of real N95 respirators who verify their products and obtain them ethically. These companies are saving the lives of high-risk people with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and helping to address the N95 mask shortage by donating medical supplies to facilities and organizations in need.

Genuine N95 Masks for Sale

Protectly — 3M N95 Respirators with Fast Shipping

Protectly offers medical masks for sale to the public at reasonable prices. They sell NIOSH-approved N95 masks including Moldex 4200, Moldex 2200, Medline 24506A N95 respirator mask, 3M 8210 N95 mask, and more. They also sell USA-made KN95 masks, face shields, disinfecting wipes, nitrile gloves, and other personal protective equipment. They ship orders within 2 business days from Oregon, USA, so you’ll get the medical supplies you need quickly!

Buy N95 masks and more from Protectly.

Well Before — 3M N95 Masks with Fast Shipping

Well Before (formerly known as Honest PPE) has the largest variety of NIOSH-approved respirator masks listed on our site, including 3M N95 masks, the most trusted brand in the industry. They carry the 3M 1860 respirator, which is rated for surgical use and fluid-resistant, as well as 3M 8210, 3M 8200, 3M 9205+, 3M 8511, and other 3M models. Other NIOSH-approved respirator choices include AOK 20180016-L, Harley L-188, Harley L-288, Makrite SEKURA-321, Makrite N95 9500 and Makrite N95 9600.  They also have KN95 masks for sale, and other medical supplies such as face shields, hand sanitizers, wipes, and gloves. N95 mask orders ship within 2 business days. Check them out!

Buy hard to find N95 respirators at Well Before.

Testing the Quality of N95 Masks

Does Your N95 Respirator Work?

Believe it or not, there is actually a factor that is more important than how to tell if your N95 mask is real or counterfeit. And that is, does it actually work? After all, fake designer purses are often just as good as the real thing. However, in this case you’re trusting your health and life to a potentially poor-quality item, not carrying around your wallet and keys. So we don’t suggest buying masks that appear to be counterfeit. But if you have N95 respirators you suspect are fake, don’t just throw them away. Consider this counterfeit respirator that did extremely well on FDA tests. You need to test the masks in your possession before passing final judgment.

Here are three tests to try:

Test #1: Does It Hold Water?

Test #2: Does It Block Exhalation?

Test #3: Does It Pass the Smell Test?

Literally. Put on your mask. Open one of those little packets of Sweet’N Low and pour it into a spoon or small plate. Can you smell it only faintly, or is the odor strong? N95 respirators are supposed to filter out at least 95% of particles sized 3 microns or larger. Sweet’N Low, aka saccharin, particles are 7 microns in size, and therefore the smell should be significantly reduced when you wear a real N95 mask.

Does Your N95 Mask Protect Others?

When people see a mask labeled N95 or higher, and it seems to be genuine, they may assume it will not only protect them from infection, but prevent them from passing virus particles to others. That is not necessarily the case! You can have the highest quality, legitimate 3M respirator and still put others at risk — if your mask has an exhalation valve. These valves make it easier to breathe, but allow your unfiltered breath to escape. But don’t panic. If you have an N95 respirator mask with a valve, don’t throw it away, just wear a cloth mask or surgical mask over it.

Do Expired N95 Masks Still Work?

Let’s say you found an old but unused N95 mask in your garage, or you bought one off the Internet. You’re about to open the package when you realize it’s past its expiration date. Is it still safe to use? Will it protect you?

The CDC is testing this right now. You can see the detailed results here. So far, there have been mixed results, but in general the high-quality respirators from major American companies have performed well. All the 3M masks they tested passed. Some of the masks from lesser-known Chinese manufacturers didn’t fare so well.

If you have an expired respirator from a company you don’t usually see at the hardware or medical supply store, you’ll want to be more cautious. Do the tests above and consider doubling up or wearing a cloth mask over the N95. Also, check the elastic bands. This can be a failure point for older masks as they are prone to dry rot. You can sew or staple new elastic onto your mask to make it more secure. Just be careful not to damage the shell of the mask.

How to Make Your N95 Mask More Effective

If your N95 mask turns out to be counterfeit and/or of poor quality, we recommend buying a new one as soon as possible — they are now readily available! If you want to make the masks you have better and help them last longer, here are some tips.

1. Double up. If you have low-quality KN95 masks, wear two like the woman in the candle video featured above.
2. Wear a cloth face covering or surgical mask over your N95 respirator to help it stay cleaner. This also protects others if your mask has a valve (see above).
3. Most masks leak around the edges. For a tighter fit, turn your ear loops into a head strap using an ear saver.
4. To improve the seal around the edges (for any kind of mask), cut a nylon stocking and wear it over the mask as shown above.

How to Disinfect Your N95 Mask for Reuse

Since genuine N95 masks are expensive, you may need to keep using them for as long as possible. Here are instructions for how to sanitize your mask(s) at home.

Items Needed

1.25 quart plastic Ziploc container
Convection oven
Paper towel
Water
Eyedropper

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 85 degrees Celsius, or 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the mask inside the container, face down.
3. Cut a 2.5 x 2.5 inch square of paper towel and place it in the container alongside the mask.
4. Add 10 drops of water to the paper towel.
5. Place the lid on the container.
6. Let it disinfect for 40 minutes.
7. Remove, open lid and rotate 45 degrees. This will allow air to naturally flow around the mask and dry it out. Leave for 5 minutes.
8. Your mask is safe to reuse!

Further Resources

For the latest news on masks, you can always check out the CDC. We hope this guide has helped you to tell if your N95 mask is real or counterfeit. Now that you know what to look for, you can shop for N95 masks with confidence!