A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

May 22, 2022

FAKE STAMPS

Attribution scambusters.org

A government agency has warned about a flood of counterfeit postage stamps being offered at massive price cuts of up to 50 percent.

Scam websites, seemingly from China, have been advertising bulk, low-cost stamp deals. The timing is perfect, since the US Postal Service (USPS) announced last month that it has filed to increase the price of first-class stamps from 63 to 66 cents.

“The number of counterfeit stamps being sold from online platforms has escalated,” the USPIS said. The sites may look official with USPS logos and photos of mail trucks. But don’t be fooled.

A spokesperson for the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) said that genuine stamps are never offered at big discounts. The fakes may look realistic, but you can’t use them. It’s illegal.

“Scammers peddle fake stamps on social media marketplaces, e-commerce sites via third party vendors, and other websites. Counterfeit stamps are often sold in bulk quantities at a significant discount – anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of their face value. That’s a tell-tale sign they’re bogus.”

If you need stamps, you should either get them from the USPS or one of the reputable “approved postal providers” such as  

warehousing retailers who often offer a small discount.

Report scammers to US Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov.