PaperCitation

Reference checker

Fake citation checker

Find out which references match a real published record. A reference we can't match is never called fake: we tell you why we couldn't verify it.

  • Matches each reference to a published record
  • Never labels a source “fake”
  • Explains why something couldn't be verified
  • Free, no signup, nothing stored

Up to 25 references. Numbering and bullets are fine. We don't store what you paste.

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What “fake” usually means

Students search for a fake citation checker when they are worried about one of two things. Either an AI tool gave them references and they want to know whether the papers are real, or an instructor flagged a source they can’t produce. In both cases the question is the same: does a record of this work exist, and does it say what the reference says?

That is what this tool answers. It looks each reference up and compares it with what was found. It does not give a score of how likely a source is to be fake, because no database can show that.

The three outcomes that matter

  • A record matches. The reference is verified. Open the record and confirm it’s the paper you mean.
  • A record is close. The work exists but the year, an author or the journal is wrong, or the match is uncertain. Fix the reference or confirm the match.
  • No record is found. The verdict is Couldn’t verify, with the likely reason. This is the case that needs your own look.

Checking one source by hand

When a reference can’t be verified, these steps settle most cases:

  1. Search for the exact title in quotation marks in Google Scholar and in your library’s database.
  2. If you have a DOI, paste it into doi.org. If it leads to a different paper, the reference is wrong.
  3. For a book, search your library’s catalog or WorldCat by title and author.
  4. For a report or a web page, go to the publisher’s own site.
  5. If you still find nothing and can’t say where you got it, replace it with a source you can read.

What the tool can’t do

It checks that a source can be matched, not that it is any good. It can miss a real source, and in rare cases match the wrong one. That is why every verdict comes with the record we found. Always read it.

Questions people ask

If it says “Couldn't verify,” is my source fake?

No. It means we found no matching record in the databases we search. Books, theses, reports, conference talks, news articles, websites and sources in other languages are often missing from them. Check by hand before you decide anything.

If it says “Verified,” can I trust the reference?

It means a published record matches the title, authors, year and journal you wrote. Read the record, though, since a similar paper by the same authors can match. Verified does not tell you whether the source supports the point you cite it for.

Why don't you just say a source is fake?

Because we can't know. A database that doesn't contain a source tells you nothing about whether it exists, and a wrong label could cost a student a grade. We show the evidence and you judge.

Does this detect AI-written text?

No. It checks references, not prose. A reference made up by an AI tool and a mistake made by a person both show up the same way: as a reference that doesn't match a record.

How many references can I check at once?

Up to 25. Paste longer lists in batches.

Last reviewed .