Are Fake Forever Stamps being sold widespread on Ebay?

[mcw1627jed]

I've recently been seeing large amounts of Forever Stamps being sold on Ebay for a 1/4 or less of current face value .

All seem to be coming from the same area in California.Ebay  and postal inspectors may want to look into this.

If this is what I suspect,there is millions of dollars involved.I have ordered two rolls to view stamps for myself.

[stephenmorgan]

Seems as though being honest and selling them as counterfeit they are way more valuable than the real ones.

[elduaneo2012]

Still waiting for my refund of $58.50 from EBAY.  I told them weeks ago that they had sellers selling fake stamps and it continued for weeks after I alerted them. 

[elduaneo2012]

I'm still waiting.  Told EBAY weeks ago and nothing seemed to happen.  Don't think they care. Shipped back my 2 rolls and waiting for 58.50 credit.

[mcw1627jed]

Yes,

Although they removed the counterfeit forever stamps from the seller I purchased from,they still have over 6000 listings on Ebay.

It seems to me that if I would have done the same thing ,I would have been banned from selling.

[ziggy1951]

I have wondered the same thing. If these are fakes and I agree. They all seem to be coming from CA and particularly Rancho Cucamonga. A few weeks ago there were tons of these on Ebay and one day last week it looked like Ebay pulled all those auctions. Why wouldn't Ebay investigate those stamps because of the prices listed? I've been tempted since I purchased so many to try one off a roll just to see what happens.

[leeanndrethal75]

I hope so (we get a refund) I have a few orders. I just recieved them. One u can tell is wrong. Quantifiably. The other 2 are better... so much better my Dad took them to our post office and they said they were valid. 

[mcw1627jed]

What irks me more about this ,is that Ebay removed the Forever stamp listings from the seller I purchased the 2 sample rolls from but not any of their other listings.

So now you can't leave negative feedback for them & buyers of their other items are keep in the dark about their shady business practice.

[train_slide_central]

I bought 4 rolls of forever stamps for $40 a roll. They arrived 2 days ago, and I took them to the postmaster here. She looked at them and said they are real.  So some of them are real. But if you are paying an unbelievable low amount, they are probably fake. 

[venus-7179]

The source of it all are from alibaba. The ebay distributors seems to have unlimited amounts of account they are still selling it, albeit in bulk only now. Just search "USPS forever 1000" and you will find their picture is the same as alibaba supplier. They could  be drop shipping. Probably what they are doing is getting rid of their stock and run before their account gets banned.

https://shzhongtian.en.alibaba.com/productgrouplist-824616567/Stamp.html?spm=a2700.shop_plgr.88.12.3...

This company does fake tax stamps for cigarettes as well. I reported it to the fed a while ago and they are still selling

[mcw1627jed]

Most rolls at that price are likely real for now if they came from a dependable seller.

However ,there are so many fake rolls out there they will likely be found in honest sellers stock in the future.

[mcw1627jed]

After having mine for almost a month and nobody caring postal inspectors,Ebay etc.

I took the 2 rolls to another po office in the area & opened package there.

The rolls did scan as saleable and didn't open the rolls there as postal worker didn't know anything else about the stamps.

I took the rolls home and opened one.They were definitely fake.

EASY WAY TO TELL WAS THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PLATE NUMBER THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD ABOUT EVERY 25TH STAMP ON THE BOTTOM OF STAMP

the 2018 forever rolls I purchased should  have a plate number & if  you don't have that on about every 25th stamp you can research yours to confirm if the rolls you purchased should have them.

So if the barcode scans okay they still can be counterfeit.

[venus-7179]

Does it pass the test on the machine that detect tagging? I just brought 100 sheets of 2019 forever flag, and half of them are tagged while the rest is not. Print quality is pretty much the same with plate number. I brought an UV light just for that. The seller seems honest and not aware. I am returning it

[mcw1627jed]

That I can't tell you on mine,I just know the rolls I bought should have the plate numbers.

A UV light is a good idea.

I only bought the rolls because at the prices I knew they had to be fake/or wouldn't receive and needed some to prove it.

 The postal inspectors & Ebay  didn't seem to care however with the responses I received.

It is wise to also check priority & higher value newer issues as when I checked Alibaba a few weeks ago they had those available to print to order.

[carobo5383]

I’m glad I researched these stamp listings before buying. If it seems too good then it probably isn’t real.  If I notice these stamp listings should I report it to eBay? 

[simba6]

Well, anytime items are being sole well below value they become suspect.   One big issue that any stamp collector can point out is the US postal service long ago switched to a much cheaper printing process for them.  They used to be printed like currency they now are as muddy as 70's baseball cards. That makes them easy to fake.  They have UV reactive dye on them and that is what the postal machines detect.