International Distributions Services PLC (LSE:IDS)-owned Royal Mail has ditched fines for people sending post with counterfeit stamps after claims scanners used to identify fakes were faulty.
People receiving letters with fake stamps had faced a £5 fine, though Royal Mail said on Monday this would be axed until late July when a stamp-authenticator app is rolled out.
Hundreds have received penalties since barcoded stamps were brought in last July, though some claimed their stamps came from Royal Mail’s website or Post Office sites.
Royal Mail staff scan the stamp barcodes in-house, with an independent expert to be appointed to assess suspected fakes when customers appeal penalties.
“The combination of new barcoded stamps with added security features and Royal Mail actively working with retailers, online marketplaces and law enforcement authorities, has led to a 90% reduction in counterfeit stamps,” chief commercial officer Nick Landon said.
“We want our customers to buy stamps with confidence and always recommend that customers only purchase stamps from Post Offices and other reputable high street retailers, and not to buy stamps online - unless from the official Royal Mail shop.”
Until the new app is released, Royal Mail will return suspected fraudulent post to senders with a charge where necessary.
This comes after an investigation by The Telegraph in early April found four Chinese companies had offered to print as many as one million fake stamps a week to be sold at as little as 4p each.