We've all been there before — spotted a friend, an associate or complete stranger sporting some footwear that looked a tad suspect. You've always prided yourself on staying current with Nike's and Jordan's latest releases but, for some reason, you've never seen or heard of what this fraudster is wearing (aside from in a random Facebook virus). You want to tell this person that their kicks might be a sham, yet you're afraid that they'll get offended. But let's be real, fake sneakers are the offenders!

Nevertheless, we've still got to pay homage. In a humble factory somewhere in Putian, China, a lot of toil and creativity goes into the making of counterfeit, one-of-none lime green Jordans; they've also got designers and buyers that masterfully put their heads together, much like the guys in The Innovation Kitchen of Beaverton, Oregon. Furthermore, there's definitely something paradoxically intriguing about fake sneakers — some of the concepts are outlandish and their telltale, arbitrary prices give us the giggles. So without further delays, let's take a look at what's out there and hopefully you didn't buy anything from your loved ones in The 50 Worst Fake Sneakers of 2012.

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