Royal Mail customers risk being fined £5 per letter for using counterfeit first and second-class stamps as forgeries circulate in the UK.
While the counterfeit stamps are notoriously difficult to differentiate from the real ones, certain red flags can be spotted.
To help Royal Mail customers avoid being scammed and fined, postal expert and manager of Hopewiser Matthew Good has provided some tips to help identify fake stamps.
Mr Good said: “Counterfeit Royal Mail stamps are often purchased unknowingly by small retailers who can source these forgeries from wholesalers rather than directly from Royal Mail.
“They can also be sold through major online retailers like eBay, as well as fraudulent websites that closely resemble the official Royal Mail store.”
However, Mr Good noted: “Royal Mail customers are significantly impacted by this, as the postal service is fining people who use these forgeries £5 despite being victims of these scams.
“While these penalties continue, there are several ways that customers can prevent themselves from becoming victims of this scam:”
How to spot counterfeit Royal Mail stamps
The first way to tell if a Royal Mail stamp is counterfeit is to check if it has an unusual shiny surface.
Mr Good explained: “To make sure your stamp is authentic, hold it up to the light and examine it for Royal Mail lettering that runs over the lettering in a wave-like pattern.
“A genuine stamp will have a subtle sheen, with the barcode section shinier than the head. If the stamp appears overly glossy, it might be counterfeit.”
Secondly, people are advised to inspect the stamp for any perforations closely. Mr Good said: “Check the stamps for square-like perforations around the border, which shows that it is genuine and produced by Cartor Security Printers.
“Counterfeit ones may have sharper or spikier edges. Differentiating between the two can be challenging.”
Along with a barcode, Royal Mail stamps should also include two ovals as part of their security features.
Mr Good said: “While counterfeit stamps may try to replicate this feature to convince shoppers, the finer details matter. A genuine first-class stamp will include a Roman numeral ‘I’ that fits entirely in the bottom left oval and the oval in the bottom right should align with the top of King Charles’ neck.”
Finally, Mr Good suggested people look for a turquoise FSC logo. He sadi: “Royal Mail introduced a purple colour scheme for first-class stamps in 2022, making them unique as the only postal service using a purple barcode.
“If you are buying a sheet of stamps, look for the FSC certification logo and barcode, which should be a turquoise colour – some counterfeiters mistakenly colour these two purple with the rest of the stamp.”
People are strongly recommended to buy stamps directly from the Post Office or other reputable high street retailers. Alternatively, people can buy stamps from Royal Mail online.
Mr Good added: “Avoid suspiciously low prices: First-class Royal Mail stamps cost £1.35 for letters and £3.99 for parcels and second-class stamps cost 85p and £2.55 respectively, according to their official site.
“If you see stamps offered online at a significantly lower price than the official rates at Royal Mail, this should raise some red flags about their authenticity.”
Those who suspect they’ve encountered counterfeit stamps online or at a retailer can report it to Royal Mail.
