A reporter wrote a story on her inadvertent purchase of counterfeit stamps at a New York City deli counter.
She put them on envelopes which were later returned with a sticker that read, "Return to Sender: Counterfeit Postage."
Of course, the best way to make sure you have the real deal is to purchase stamps from a USPS retail outlet, USPS.com, a lisenced vendor, APC or contract unit. All of the approved shippers will have a sticker on their window to show the source of their postage.
Have you ever encountered counterfeit postage either in your postal duties or as a customer? Tell your story here.
7 comments:
I think generally people are honest. I have sent letters back where it is obvious they have cut the stamp off of an envelope and reused it. I believe most people don't realize that it is illegal to do that. I had a customer once take the picture of the stamp that is on the book and put it in the corner. That cracked me up.
As a carrier,I have seen people use the stamps they get in advertisement,(with animals, or hearts, etc) thinking those were okay for postage.
On a few occasions, I've seen where people have tried to use that part of a book that has our "bar code" on it and it appears that they must think that the "larger" Liberty Bell w/bar code is also a stamp OR they're just trying to slip one past us!! BUT I've never actually encountered a "counterfiet" stamp.
The best way to get the genuine deal.....visit your local post office!
I have had customers try to use Easter Seals as stamps.
I just want to hear that they stopped the counterfeiters! That is illegal isn't it?!
If anyone is interested last year published "Stamp Counterfeiting" it tells the history of this crime in US from 1894 to 1940. These are true crime stories involving the post office. Look it up on Amazon or on the net
H.Petschel
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