How to Spot a Fake Certificate of Analysis
Red flags that indicate a Certificate of Analysis may be fraudulent, forged, or not genuinely representative of a batch.
Last updated: 16 April 2026
Red flags for fake COAs
No lab name or contact information. Logo without accompanying lab identity. Same COA reused across multiple batches or orders. Generic purity claims (e.g., '99%+') without method details. Dates missing or inconsistent. No chromatogram or spectrum images.
A legitimate COA should be batch-specific, signed, dated, and contain raw analytical data.
How to verify a COA
Request the testing lab's contact information and independently verify the lab's existence and accreditation. Ask whether the lab can confirm they tested this batch (provide the batch number and lot number). Legitimate labs maintain records and can confirm testing.
Offer to contact the lab directly to verify the document.
Assessing analytical data quality
Legitimate COAs include raw chromatograms (showing peaks), spectra (showing molecular weight), and detailed methods. Documents showing only summary numbers without raw data are suspicious. Look for proper baseline integration, clear axis labels, and professional presentation.
Blurry, edited, or poorly formatted documents suggest fraud.
Check consistency
If you have received multiple batches from the same supplier, the COAs should differ (different batch numbers, dates, sometimes slight variations in purity). Identical COAs across different orders is a major red flag indicating reuse rather than genuine batch testing.
What to do if suspicious
Do not use a peptide with a questionable COA. Contact the supplier and request clarification and original documentation. If they cannot provide verification, source from a different supplier. Protecting your research integrity and safety outweighs the inconvenience of finding a new source.