PHOENIX — It's the season of deliveries, but it comes with a warning. ABC15 Let Joe Know viewer, Margaret, is worried people may fall for fake stamps.
She shared screenshots of ads on Facebook with people selling stamps at steep discounts.
We searched Facebook and found sellers offering 100 Forever Stamps for as low as $14. However, the same amount of Forever Stamps being sold by the United States Postal Service costs $66.
That's a major difference!
USPS only sells postal stamps at face value. So, if you see an ad for stamps at ridiculously low prices, they're likely counterfeit. Using, selling, or depositing items with counterfeit postage is a fraud, a federal crime. People may be liable for criminal or civil penalties; in some cases, imprisonment can be up to five years.
A spokesperson with the United States Postal Inspector says counterfeit stamps being sold from online platforms has escalated. USPS does partner with approved vendors of stamps that are legitimate - mostly big box stores like Costco, Walgreens, CVS and grocery stores. Those stores may provide slight discounts on stamps but that is through resale agreements with the Postal Service. Any offer of 20-50% or more off the face value of stamps is not legitimate.
As for Margaret, she says she contacted Facebook to report the sellers but they were not removed. We reached out to Facebook asking about the decision and what steps they take to prevent counterfeit sales. We didn't get a response.
This year, USPS changed its regulations to declare any piece of mail or package with counterfeit postage as abandoned and to be disposed of. That means, if you use fake stamps your mail may never be delivered. Stick with a trusted provider - better safe, than sorry.
If you know of a website, social media site, or other avenue selling postage at significant discounts you can report it by emailing PostageFraudReporting@uspis.gov.
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