Unmasking Counterfeit Postage Stamps: Identifying Genuine from Bogus
With an incredible diversity and sheer quantity of postage stamps produced, USPS faces the challenge of ensuring that only genuine stamps are used. Unfortunately, the market for deeply discounted postage stamps can sadly be misleading, often leading to potential scams. In this article, we will delve into the steps and features that help distinguish between genuine and fake postage stamps.
Identifying Fake Stamps: Warning Signs and Precautions
No U.S. Postage Never Expires: It's a common misconception that U.S. postage stamps eventually expire. In fact, all U.S. postage stamps issued since 1860 remain valid for postage anywhere within the United States or from any other place where U.S. Mail service operates. This means that any postage stamp, regardless of its age, can continue to be used until its value depletes or it physically deteriorates.
Discounted Bulk Stamps: Despite the widespread availability of genuine stamps, fake postage stamps are frequently sold in bulk at a significant discount, ranging from 20 to 50 percent of their face value. This is a clear indicator that the stamps may be fabricated. Additionally, purchasing stamps from third-party wholesalers or online websites can be unpredictable, as there's no way to verify their authenticity.
Signs of a Bogus Stamp
Counterfeit stamps often exhibit several key characteristics that differentiate them from genuine ones:
Celluloid Embossing: A dull or non-existent iridescent overprint on the shiny text and the Queen's head. Physical Damage: A roughened or damaged surface, which could indicate that the stamp has been tampered with. Faint Cancellation Marks: Faint marks across the surface of the stamp, which could be a sign of reuse or inaccuracy in the cancellation process. Attachments: Old envelope or backing paper still attached to the stamp, which is unusual for genuine stamps.Recognizing Counterfeits: The Role of Experience
Recognizing counterfeit postage stamps often relies on experience and familiarity with genuine stamps. Postal officials often develop a keen eye for spotting fakes, much like bank tellers recognize counterfeit money. While many postal workers may not have direct experience with counterfeit stamps, they are trained to identify common attempts to reuse stamps.
The most common method of reusing stamps involves removing a stamp from one letter and attaching it to another envelope using clear tape or glueing the back of the stamp. That said, such methods are not economically viable for counterfeiters; printing counterfeit stamps on a large scale would be extremely costly and impractical.
The Postal System's Defense: Advanced Ink and Machines
Achieving a level of security that makes it difficult to counterfeit stamps relies on the use of special inks and machines designed to detect these differences. Authentic U.S. postage stamps are printed with a special ink that reflects at a certain frequency, which is detected by the Facer/Canceller machine. This machine is the first to process all letter mail and is responsible for stacking the mail upright and front-facing so that it can be sorted efficiently by subsequent machines.
The Facer/Canceller machine is programmed to reject mail with what appears to be a stamp but is not genuine, directing it to a human for further investigation. The human will check if the mailer used a sticker, a foreign stamp, a cutout from a stamp catalog, or a potential counterfeit stamp. If the stamp is deemed suspicious, it will be forwarded to the Postal Inspectors, ensuring that any counterfeit stamps are identified and disposed of promptly.
Given the advanced technology and the widespread use of Facer/Canceller machines, it would be highly impractical to produce counterfeit stamps on a profitable scale. Any successful attempt would quickly be detected and investigated.