NFC authentication & anti-counterfeit
NFC product authentication against counterfeits
Counterfeiters copy what sells. We put proof on every unit: an encrypted NFC tag or a label code, protected by our TruLock Technology™, checked on a verify page in your branding, with every check reported back to you.
BirdHaus runs authentication on its own platform, Scanacart. It has issued 13,613,521 NFC tags and handled 9,162,242 taps and 2,939,248 label checks across 46 countries.
Brands we build and protect
- 13,613,521NFC tags issuedEach with its own ID
- 9,162,242NFC tapsPhones held to a tag since 02/05/2023
- 2,939,248Label code checksPrinted and scratch-off codes since 09/01/2022
- 10,328,300Located checksPlaced on the map to the city
- 46CountriesWith 100 or more located checks
Totals from the BirdHaus verification database as of 10/26/2026.
Every tag is encrypted. Every clone is shut off.
TruLock Technology™ is BirdHaus’s anti-counterfeit technology, built into every tag we issue.
Encrypted on every tag
No plain links. Each tag carries an encrypted identity that only our system can check.
Three levels of security
Every tag is protected three ways, so copying the chip or the link isn’t enough to pass.
Clones shut off automatically
The system watches for suspicious tap patterns. Cloned tags are caught and shut off automatically.
Tamper-evident on request
Tags that show when a seal, closure or label has been opened, sourced for your packaging.
How it works
How NFC authentication works
NFC (near-field communication) is the same short-range radio phones use for tap-to-pay. A tag the size of a coin holds an ID. When a phone comes within a few centimeters, it reads that ID and opens a link. We turn that link into a check against your records.
- 01
We tag every unit
Each tag or label code gets its own ID and is tied to your brand and product before it ships. We set it into a woven label, a hang tag, the box or the closure during production.
- 02
The customer taps or scans
They hold a phone to the tag, or scratch and scan the label code. Most phones read NFC natively, so there is nothing to download.
- 03
The verify page answers
A page in your branding opens and checks the ID against your records: Authentic, or Not verified. You choose what else it shows.
- 04
You see the check
Every check lands in your brand portal with a time and an approximate location, so you see where your product is really being bought.
Hold your phone near the label
The tag is sewn in at the hem.
A demo of what your customer sees after a tap.
Formats
Encrypted NFC tags and secure labels
The right format depends on the product, the price point and where the customer will look. We design the label or packaging and place the tag in the same job, so it fits the product instead of being stuck on afterward.
Sewn-in label tags
An NFC inlay inside a woven or printed neck or hem label. Made for apparel, drops and resale protection.
Hang tags and cards
NFC built into a hang tag or an insert card. Good for accessories and products where the label can’t hold a chip.
Box, bag and closure tags
An NFC sticker or inlay placed on packaging, a jar lid or a closure, where the customer meets the product first.
Scratch-off label codes
A unique code under a scratch-off layer. Lower cost per unit and works with any phone camera or keyboard.
Serialized printed codes
A unique QR or printed code per unit, for high-volume runs where NFC isn’t needed on every piece.
Tamper-evident tags
Available on request: a tag that breaks or reports when the seal, closure or label is opened, so customers can see it was untouched.
NFC or label codes
Which one fits your product
| Feature | NFC tag | Label code (scratch-off or printed) |
|---|---|---|
| How the customer checks | Holds the phone to the tag | Scans or types the code |
| Harder to fake | Yes: encrypted, three levels of security, and clones are shut off automatically | A printed code can be photographed and reprinted |
| Cost per unit | Higher | Lower |
| Works with | Most current phones, no app | Any camera phone or keyboard |
| Best for | Premium products, apparel, limited drops | High-volume packaging and consumables |
| Checks on our network | 9,162,242 taps | 2,939,248 checks |
Verify pages and apps
Verify pages and branded scan apps
The verify page is what your customer actually sees, so it carries your logo, colors and voice, not ours. It loads in the phone’s browser and answers in a moment.
- Authentic or Not verified, in plain words
- Product details, drop info or care instructions
- A reward, promo code or sign-up after a genuine check
- Optional iOS and Android app with scan rewards and loyalty points
Our own BirdHaus cards tap to bybirdhaus.com/nfc and open a verify page on this site.
Brand portal
See every scan, catch every clone
Every tap and label check is recorded with the product, the time and an approximate location from the shopper’s network. Your portal turns that into answers:
- Which cities and countries your product reaches
- How checks change week to week and after a launch
- Products sold far from where you shipped them
- Cloned tags caught and shut off automatically
Industries
Built for cannabis, vape, streetwear and consumer goods
Cannabis and hemp
Empty branded boxes and bags are easy to buy, which makes copies easy to fill. A unique code on every unit gives customers a way to check before they use the product.
Vape
Popular devices get cloned fast. An NFC tag or scratch-off code on the box lets buyers and retailers check a unit in seconds.
Streetwear and limited drops
A tag sewn into the label follows the garment into the resale market, so a second buyer can still check that it’s real.
Consumer goods
Supplements, cosmetics and accessories use label codes on volume lines and NFC on premium ones, all reporting to one portal.
FAQ
Product authentication questions
How does NFC product authentication work?
Each product gets an encrypted NFC tag with its own identity and three levels of security, part of BirdHaus TruLock Technology™. When a customer taps it with a phone, a verify page checks the tag against the brand's records and shows whether the product is genuine. BirdHaus has issued 13,613,521 NFC tags and processed 9,162,242 taps this way.
Can NFC authentication tags be copied or cloned?
A plain NFC sticker with a fixed link can be copied. BirdHaus tags are different: every tag is encrypted, carries three levels of security, and every tap is checked on the server. The system watches for suspicious tap patterns, and cloned tags are caught and shut off automatically, so a copy stops verifying.
Is NFC or QR code better for anti-counterfeiting?
NFC is stronger: a BirdHaus tag is encrypted and has to be physically there to be read, while a printed QR code can be photographed and reprinted. QR and scratch-off codes cost less and work with any camera phone. Many BirdHaus clients combine both: NFC on premium products and serialized label codes on high-volume packaging.
Do customers need an app to verify a product?
No. Most phones read NFC tags natively, and the tap opens a verify page in the browser. Brands that want more can add a branded scan app with rewards, promotions and loyalty points. BirdHaus builds both the browser verify page and the optional iOS and Android apps.
What does a customer see when they tap a tag?
A page in the brand’s look opens in the phone’s browser and answers in a moment: Authentic, or Not verified. The brand can add product details, drop information, care instructions or a reward. Each tap is recorded, so the brand also learns where and when its products are being checked.
What is a tamper-evident NFC tag?
A tamper-evident NFC tag is built so that opening the package or removing the label breaks the tag or changes what it reports. A customer who taps it can see whether the seal was broken. BirdHaus offers tamper-evident tags on request for packaging, closures and labels.
How do cannabis and vape brands fight counterfeit products?
Counterfeiters copy popular cannabis and vape packaging because empty boxes are easy to buy. Brands fight back with a unique code on every unit, either an encrypted NFC tag or a serialized scratch-off label, plus a verify page customers check before using the product. BirdHaus runs these programs for cannabis, hemp and vape brands.
One team
Add it to what we make
Apparel and merch manufacturing
Tees, hoodies, caps, totes and private label.
Explore Apparel and merch manufacturingPackaging and secure labels
Boxes and labels with the code built in.
Explore Packaging and secure labelsBrand design, websites and apps
Identity, sites, apps and scan portals.
Explore Brand design, websites and appsThe live network
Where products get checked, on a globe.
Explore The live network
Start a project
Want to see a tag in your hand?
Tell us the product and roughly how many units ship each month. We’ll send sample tags and a verify page mocked up in your branding.