Counterfeit what should I be looking for?

Royal Mail does not sell stamps with large discounts. Any seller who is advertising stamps for sale and is promoting what looks like a ‘too good to be true’ discount could be trying to tempt you into buying counterfeit stamps.

• So be very wary of e-sellers and shopping platforms selling stamps at heavily discounted prices.
• Be sure to check any listing carefully and look for more information about the stamps you are thinking of buying. For example; despite the way they are presented for sale, some sellers may say in the item details that the stamps are actually for philatelic, crafting or collecting purposes only and ‘not for reuse’. They may also say that the stamps are difficult to remove from their backing paper. 

These are strong indicators that the seller is trying to sell you counterfeit stamps.

• It is not always possible to tell if stamps are genuine or not from photos posted on the sellers website and the stamps displayed may not be the ones you actually receive.
• Counterfeits can have an unusually shiny surface or an unusual colouration. It’s not always easy to tell the difference between a fake and a genuine stamp which is why it’s best to avoid being caught out by one of the counterfeiters and choose instead to only buy from a reputable and trusted source. Wherever possible, buy your stamps from a Royal Mail reputable retailer such as the Post Office, reputable High Street Retailers or the Royal Mail website.

If you suspect you have seen of been a victim of stamp fraud please complete our online form so that we can gather information on any fraudsters and determine a course of action.