Example
Besides differences in the artwork or the packaging, the best way to identify a counterfeit is to investigate the numbers and barcodes in the centre of the disc. These are called "matrix numbers". These numbers contain information about the record company and pressing factory. As you can see, the original pressings show much more information. The fakes show just one little matrix number.
The newer and more advanced counterfeits do have a fake matrixnumber pressed on the disc!
The real matrix number(s) are hard to find, but with a pair of good eyes they are visible!
These pictures show the differences between the original release on the left and the fake on the right.
(click the image to compare)
More difficult to notice is the printing quality on the disc itself. It is often not as good and as sharp as the original:
