The price of the stamp for basic mail will increase to 1.89 euros from next January. As for heavier shipments, some will exceed 10 euros. In these conditions, it is hardly surprising that some French people are tempted by the unscrupulous offers of online scammers.
French customs recently announced the seizure of 100,000 counterfeit stamps in recent months. In one private home, no less than 24,000 counterfeits were even discovered in Reims.
Fake stamps from Asia
In a press release published for the occasion, customs officials specify that most of these fake stamps come from Asia, and in particular from Hong Kong. They look exactly like the originals with the characteristic La Poste logo and the presence of Marianne.
Following this operation, Laurent Saint-Martin, Minister of Budget and Public Accounts, commented:
I thank French customs officers for their mobilization against counterfeiters, who are today attacking all sectors of our economy and in this case the transport of mail. Counterfeiting constitutes a real scourge, which endangers know-how, innovation, the intellectual property of companies, consumer safety, but also the balance of our economy and our services.
300,000 euros fine and three years in prison
Concerning the risks involved, the scammers who sell these counterfeits are exposed to legal action. The French administration adds that “Customs sanctions are combined with criminal sanctions that may be imposed and which can amount to a fine of up to 300,000 euros and three years in prison”.
It is therefore better to buy stamps at a post office or from a newsagent, rather than trying to save a few cents by going through these unscrupulous sellers. Especially since your mail may never arrive safely if this stamp is counterfeit.
As the site reminds us RMC Consothere are many counterfeit stamps online, and you just have to type “cheap stamp” on Google to come across certain sites that offer them at a reduced price. Except that this business ends up becoming detrimental to the financial balance of La Poste. As we saw above, it also presents concrete risks for people who would like to engage in this dangerous trade.
What to remember:
- French customs announce having seized 100,000 counterfeit stamps
- This business is doing very well online
- Scammers face hefty fines. Users of these fake stamps also risk seeing their mail never arrive safely.
