Posted on 07/14/2023 6:46:53 AM PDT by george76
There's been an alarming rise in Made in China counterfeit postage stamps here in America
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The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been struggling for years, saddled with an outmoded business model and huge retiree pension liabilities. And now, added to its inflationary and management woes comes a new threat: counterfeit stamps from China marketed online through paid ads on Google and Facebook, among other platforms.
Counterfeiting currency, bonds, or other government paper of value is a form of warfare. The British printed Continental paper dollars to undermine the American economy during the Revolutionary War. The Union encouraged counterfeiting against the Confederacy during the Civil War. And North Korea has been known for passing fake $100 Federal Reserve notes (Supernotes).
To that record of profitable fakery we can add a new entry: Made in China USPS Forever stamps, sold for as little as 7.7 cents each—88% off the official price of $0.63 each. And, better yet, one printer even boasts of featuring anti-counterfeiting detection ink that looks like official postage under ultra-violet light.
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The Postal Service generated $78.5 billion in revenue in 2022, with the bulk of that coming from First-Class Mail—the sort of mail most likely to be affected by counterfeit stamps. And, even with revenue up $1.5 billion last year, the Postal Service’s losses increased by $2 billion, with labor costs up $1.4 billion and highway, fuel, and overhead expenses up another $2 billion.
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dozens of ads for counterfeit stamps were still prominently displayed on Google’s search results after the firm claimed they took action to remove the offending ads.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I think I’ve used about 5 stamps in the last 5 years. While I’d love to stick it to the USPS and get me some ChiCom counterfeit stamps at a big discount, I have no need for them.
Nor do most other people.
Maybe ebay sellers could wallpaper their outgoing packages w/ these stamps. Have at it!
Many Chinese companies have no qualms about violating U.S. laws if they can make money from doing so.
They are very difficult to prosecute. It is cheaper to ship from China to the USA than inside the USA, do to a law designed to aid third world countries, passed decades ago.
The law should obviously be repealed, but China has many U.S. politicians in China's pocket.
Yet another example of unwillingness to enforce the law in the US and to expect other countries to enforce our laws.
Just like the war on drugs!
If counterfeiting US stamps is not against the law in China, it is not a crime for them to print them and ship to the US.
I’d need a few rolls for inspection before commenting
Hey, I’m sure Biden’s handlers from. the Ukraine, Russia and China will deny this is true.
AliExpress sells rolls of 100 and batches of thousands dirt cheap. Also, it sells all of the above mentioned items at low prices. Might have longer shipping but Customs can’t check everything and I’ve gotten stuff that the shipping labels have lied about (and there was no reason) so just imagine what’s getting in.
How much you wanna bet the stamp printing has been outsourced to Chinese “companies” and these are just stolen off the production lines and are actually authentic?
Not to mention all the “fuel filters”. Either amoral chinese vendors or ATF honey-traps.
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