While the holiday season offers merriment and joy, fraudsters and their scams can dim the season. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to helping Postal Service customers avoid trending scams throughout the holidays, so you can avoid being “snowed”.
Are you looking online for a good deal on postage stamps? Is a substantial discount of up to fifty percent off an order of United States Forever® Stamps too good to pass up? If so, keep scrolling, they’re probably counterfeit.
The number of counterfeit stamps being sold from online platforms has escalated. Scammers peddle fake stamps on social media marketplaces, e-commerce sites via third party vendors, and other websites. Counterfeit stamps are often sold in bulk quantities at a significant discount.
Purchasing stamps from a third-party wholesaler or online websites can be unpredictable. You have no way to verify whether they are genuine or not. The Postal Inspection Service recommends purchasing from Approved Postal Providers™. Approved vendors can include legitimate “big box” or warehouse retailers who do provide very small discounts on postage stamps, but this is through resale agreements with the Postal Service.
HOW TO AVOID SNOW JOBS
Promptly pickup mail
Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.
Inquire about overdue mail
If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.
Don’t send cash
Be careful about what you send. Don’t risk sending cash in the mail.
Arrange for prompt pickup
If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the USPS Hold Mail Service.
Use Hold for Pickup
When shipping packages, use the Hold for PickUp option, and the recipients can collect the package at their local Post Office™.
Request signature confirmation
When mailing something important, consider requesting Signature Confirmation™ for the intended recipient.
