With the rise in postage prices over the past few years, it can feel like mailing a letter or package is more expensive than the item inside. And this is no more evident than around the holidays when we're sending bulk Christmas cards and gifts. So, who wouldn't want to take advantage of an offer to buy discounted stamps? But you'll want to think twice before you click on that promotion, according to a new warning from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
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In a newly released alert titled "Don't Get Snowed by Holiday Scams," the USPS tells customers that "the number of counterfeit stamps being sold online has increased, and so has the actual quality of the stamps."
"Scammers peddle fake stamps on social media marketplaces, e-commerce sites via third party vendors, and other websites," the alert reads. "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."
Historically, the most common counterfeit stamp was the classic American flag, but fraudsters are now illegally duplicating all different designs.
If you do fall victim to this scam, you could lose money, lose your mailed item, or even face legal consequences.
As the USPS shares, it recently updated its forensic technology to detect counterfeit postage. Therefore, they say, "Items mailed with counterfeit postage will be considered abandoned and are subject to being opened and disposed of at the Postal Service's discretion."
However, purchasing counterfeit stamps is considered a federal crime and, in serious cases, could result in legal consequences.
To protect yourself from this scam, the USPS advises purchasing stamps only at Postal Service locations, through the Postal Service online, or at approved vendors, which can include big-box or warehouse retailers.
The alert notes that vendors "do provide very small discounts on postage stamps, but this is through resale agreements with the Postal Service. " Postal Service locations do not sell stamps at a discount.
If you encounter counterfeit stamps, you can report them by emailing the USPS at PostageFraudReporting@uspis.gov.
RELATED: USPS Postal Inspector Reveals How to Mail Checks to Avoid Theft.
On a lighter note, the USPS also recently unveiled its 2025 stamps. These 55 new designs include the following collections: The Appalachian Trail, Vibrant Leaves, Dahlias, Baby Wild Animals, and Winter Landscapes. There are also single stamp designs, most notably one honoring the late actor Betty White.
