Report a Crime

Counterfeit Postage

Last updated National

Don’t Get Stuck with Bogus Stamps

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. To ensure your trusted communication arrives at its destination without delay, the Postal Inspection Service wants you to be aware of–and avoid–phony postage.

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–anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of their face value. That’s a tell-tale sign they’re bogus.

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.

Learn more about stamps and where to safely buy them at USPS.

REPORT counterfeit stamps and sellers here.

Counterfeit postage is a serious issue that can have significant financial impacts on you and the United States Postal Service (USPS). To help you protect yourself, and USPS, the Postal Inspection Service created a new counterfeit postage reporting process to provide you with an easier way to report fake stamps and postage.

Effective September 26, 2025, you can report suspected counterfeit stamp and postage fraud using the Counterfeit Postage Reporting System (CPRS) and select the Counterfeit Postage option.

What to Report
• Sale of counterfeit labels or stamps
• Intentional use of counterfeit labels or stamps
• Defrauding the USPS with a revenue fraud scheme

USPS Fights Counterfeit Postage

USPS is fighting back against counterfeit postage. With new changes to the Domestic Mail Manual, items mailed with counterfeit postage will be considered abandoned and are subject to being opened and disposed of at the Postal Service's discretion. Make sure your postage is legitimate and always purchase from USPS or an authorized retailer.

USPS Fights Counterfeit Postage Transcript
Counterfeit Stamps

Don’t get stuck by counterfeit stamps.

Protect Yourself

  • Did you know

    USPS does not sell stamps below face value. Stamps can be bought online from USPS here: https://store.usps.com/store/home.
  • Be wary

    Legitimate retailers do sometimes provide very small discounts on postal stamps. This is through agreements with USPS. A list of approved postage providers can be found here: https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-an-Approved-Postal-Provider
  • Be certain

    Counterfeit stamps are being sold on social media, eCommerce sites through third-party vendors, and websites.
  • Too good to be true

    Stamps being sold at a substantial discount and/or from a vendor outside of the United States means that the stamps are more than likely counterfeit. To ensure your mail is delivered, do not use stamps bought from unapproved vendors. The use of counterfeit stamps can result in action by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Related news and resources
Scam Article

Vishing

Have you received a phone call or voicemail message from an unfamiliar number claiming to need to verify sensitive personal information? If so, don’t respond, delete the voicemail. This type of scam called vishing.

Read Scam Article
Scam Article

Fake USPIS Phone Calls

Read Scam Article

HAVE YOU WITNESSED THIS SCAM?

For reports regarding packages seized for unpaid postage, please contact the USPS Package Fraud Prevention Team.

Report Now