- Britain receives up to a million fake stamps from China every week
Money Mail today demands that Royal Mail stop fining thousands of innocent people a £5 fine for receiving mail bearing a false stamp.
We insist that you accept that up to one million fake Royal Mail stamps from China flood the market every week, and we demand the immediate suspension of all penalties on customers who are sent stamps with fake barcodes.
Our call for a full investigation is backed by the Lib Dems, who want the “ridiculous” fines to stop “until ministers have got to the bottom of this”.
Meanwhile, former Post Office Minister Paul Scully also called for an investigation to root out counterfeits.
Mr Scully, Conservative MP for Sutton and Cheam, said: “It doesn’t seem fair that the end user or recipient should be penalized for using a stamp they had no idea was fake.”
Investigation: Our investigation exposed how Britain is being inundated with up to a million fake Royal Mail stamps from China every week.
What we need now is an investigation into where these stamps actually come from, where they were purchased.
“Customers can help Royal Mail by sharing these details.”
Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said: ‘It is ridiculous to penalize innocent people caught up in this mess.
“Ministers must launch an investigation, including an interrogation of the Chinese embassy.”
We have been contacted by hundreds of people who are furious at having to pay fines for cards and post, with many of them reporting that the £5 fine is worth more than the post itself.
They are outraged that not only did they purchase stamps from what they believed to be a legitimate source, but they are also accused of purchasing knock-off versions online.
Royal Mail says it believes counterfeits are being sold online or unknowingly in small shops; some might even share facilities with a post office counter.
Under legislation introduced in 1989, shops are no longer required to buy their stamps directly from Royal Mail and can instead buy them from wholesalers or online.
Smaller retailers are understood to be snapping up compelling copies sold for as little as 4p each. Spotting a fake stamp is not easy, but if it appears particularly shiny, this may indicate that it was printed on a different paper than that used by a forger.
The ‘security ovals’ may not be included on a fake seal or may be placed in the wrong place.
Fake stamps can sometimes also have more subdued or inconsistent colors compared to those used on real stamps.
Counterfeits: Royal Mail says it believes counterfeits are being sold online or unknowingly in small shops; some might even share facilities with a post office counter.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘The combination of new barcode stamps with additional security features, the surcharge and Royal Mail’s active working with law enforcement authorities has led to a 90 per cent reduction in counterfeits.
‘We recommend that customers only purchase stamps from post offices and other reputable retailers.
“We advise against purchasing stamps online unless you do so from the official Royal Mail store.”
What are your rights if you receive mail bearing a false stamp and Royal Mail requires you to pay the fine? The Mail’s consumer lawyer, Dean Dunham, says Royal Mail has the right to impose these sanctions.
However, the recipient of letters or mail is not required to pay such a fine unless he or she wishes to receive the mail.
All is not lost, as the Consumer Rights Act states that traders must only sell goods (in this case stamps) that they have a “right to sell”, and that this will form a term in every consumer contract.
Here, the Post Office has sold fake stamps to its customers, although without knowing it. He obviously had no legal right to do this, and this amounts to a breach of contract.
This means that if you purchase fake stamps from a post office or any other merchant, you will be entitled to a full refund.
You will also be entitled to reimbursement for any associated losses you have incurred, such as paying fines from Royal Mail.