U.S. Customs Seized Counterfeit USPS Stamps – Reminds Consumers To Stay Vigilant About Cheap Postage

Counterfeit USPS stamps have been a rapidly rising problem, and some smaller sellers that ship items in first class mail envelopes may be enticed to try to save a few pennies per shipment by buying such phone postage.

Check Out These Resources

• Do you need a business bank account for your online business? Take a look at our review of the five best bank accounts for sellers, some of which are free with no minimum balance or deposits. ^[sponsored]
• Boost your social media engagement with Publer. Learn how you can save time writing engaging content faster with AI. ^[sponsored]
• Could your online business use capital for growth? Here is a primer on revenue-based loans, and how they work.

Others may unwittingly purchase counterfeit USPS stamps from unauthorized retailers or individuals.

This week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) officers at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) seized 4,080 counterfeit USPS stamps.  

The fraudulent stamps were discovered after CBP officers inspected packages that were manifested as “hand account/self-adhesive sheets,” the agency said. 

Once opened, officers found poorly printed U.S. postage stamps, including. Packages of Forever Stamps with a declared value of $10. However, Forever Stamps currently cost $0.63 each, and had these packages been genuine, they would have cost consumers $126. 

“CBP officers protect the public in many ways, to include keeping counterfeit products off the market and away from consumers,” said Raul Orona, Acting Area Port Director, Dallas-Fort Worth. “Counterfeiters are singularly focused on making a profit at the consumer’s expense.” 

Overall, CBP officers discovered counterfeit USPS stamps in 12 shipments arriving from China, the agency confirmed.

A stark rise in the number of vendors selling counterfeit U.S. postage stamps has populated ecommerce and social media platforms. The USPS and the CPB warn consumers that the best place to purchase U.S. postage stamps is at a U.S. Post Office or by visiting USPS.com.    

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service offers this sage advice, ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,’ especially when it comes to purchasing extremely discounted postage,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division.

“Counterfeit postage scams are harmful both to the U.S. Postal Service for a loss of revenue against services provided, and to customers when their mailed item is either delayed and returned for payment, or potentially disposed of.

“It’s not a petty crime: forging or possession of counterfeit postage is a violation of federal law and can result in up to five years imprisonment. We appreciate the work by CBP in partnering with Postal Inspectors to combat these offenses.” 

This surge in counterfeit stamps has USPS seeking to change current mail standards that would result in shipments with phony postage to be considered abandoned and disposed of at the Postal Service’s discretion.