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Postage Fraud Is The Nerdiest Fraud Of All
Photo by kevindooley via Flickr
Nerdy, sure. But also tremendously costly. A contributing factor to the U.S. Postal Service's budget vortex, "an estimated $134.4 million dollars of its annual revenue is quietly slipping away to counterfeiters and perpetrators of other types of postal fraud," reports FOX LA.
Counterfeit stamps have been named one of the 10 biggest threats to USPS revenue with resulting damage playing a part in the $8.5 billion reported loss last fiscal year.
FOX LA warns that civilians are also being affected by forgeries, and people picking up stamps online or at local stores could be unknowingly buying counterfeits. Says Postal Inspector Michael Romano, "To avoid being scammed, U.S. Postal Service stamps and products should be purchased either at a U.S. Post Office, USPS.com or a reputable vendor." Products offered for a significantly lower price than actual value should be considered suspicious. Manufacturing and peddling fake postage is a federal crime.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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