Warning issued after people were fined for using Royal Mail stamps

Royal Mail is investigating claims people were wrongly fined for stamps.

Members of the public complained they had to pay a £5 fine to collect their mail because the stamps were believed to be counterfeit, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The problem has arisen since the Postal Service completely switched to a new barcoding system last July.

The postmaster general said the so-called fake stamps were purchased directly from Royal Mail, raising concerns they were mistakenly identified as counterfeit stamps.

In December, many people complained about Christmas cards not being delivered.

On Tuesday evening, Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake said he had held a meeting with Royal Mail chief executive Martin Seidenberg.

“We’ve spoken to Royal Mail and they’re investigating, they’re working with the Post Office and other retailers to try to get to the root of the problem,” Mr Hollinluck told The Telegraph.

Last week, Royal Mail insisted its process was “safe” and used “specialist equipment” to assess whether stamps were genuine.

Most stamps are authenticated at sorting offices using the service’s scanning equipment.

Royal Mail said: “Royal Mail takes the illegal production of counterfeit stamps seriously. Since the introduction of barcode stamps we have been able to significantly reduce stamp fraud through the added security features.

“Each barcode is unique, which allows us to identify whether the stamps are authentic and whether they have been used before.

“We want customers to buy stamps with confidence. We strongly advise customers to only buy stamps from the Post Office and other reputable high street retailers and not buy stamps online – unless they are buying from an official Royal Mail store.

“Our website provides guidance to customers on how to identify counterfeit or second-hand stamps and we urge customers to report any suspicious stamps to Royal Mail via our website RoyalMail.com/report-stamp-fraud so we can investigate.

“We are working hard to eliminate counterfeit stamps from circulation. We monitor regularly to detect suspicious activity, such as the sale of deeply discounted stamps, and work closely with retailers and law enforcement agencies to identify those producing counterfeit stamps.

“We have a robust, multi-stage process when assessing whether a stamp is authentic. This includes a thorough inspection using specialist equipment, followed by a follow-up inspection by a skilled team member, before any stamp is labeled as counterfeit or second-hand. “

An Post Office spokesman said: “Stamps can be purchased from a number of different sources. The Post Office Ltd receives stamps directly from Royal Mail’s secure printers. Customers who purchase stamps at the Post Office will receive a detailed receipt, which is required to investigate allegations of counterfeit stamps of.

“Any allegation of counterfeit stamps being purchased at the post office is extremely serious. The implication of such an allegation is that one of our postmasters or his staff obtained counterfeit stamps and chose to sell them to customers rather than selling them from Legal stamps from Royal Mail secure printer.

“That’s why we insist that any customer who thinks they may have purchased counterfeit stamps from the post office must produce a detailed receipt for further investigation.

“We welcome the recent meeting between Postal Affairs Minister Kevin Hollinrake and Royal Mail to discuss the issue of ‘counterfeit stamps’, with Royal Mail reaffirming their close cooperation with retailers and law enforcement agencies and actively seeking to prosecute those People who forge stamps. Produce counterfeit stamps.”