Counterfeit Royal Mail stamps in the UK — what’s happening and how Dupeblock-style authentication helps

Counterfeit barcoded stamps have been surfacing across the UK. Investigations indicate industrial-scale production by overseas suppliers, while recipients have been hit with a £5 surcharge when mail carries suspected fake stamps. Royal Mail temporarily paused these fines in April 2024 amid complaints and introduced a barcode scanner in its app; it reports that counterfeits have fallen by ~90% since barcoded stamps were introduced in 2022.

Key Facts

• Scale & origin claims: Media reports state that four Chinese suppliers offered to print
  up to 1 million counterfeit Royal Mail stamps per week for as little as 4p each; some fakes were sold online
  and even reached small retailers.
• Consumer impact: Recipients of letters containing suspected fake stamps were charged
  £5 to collect their post. Royal Mail later paused these surcharges while improving customer-facing
  verification tools.
• Mitigation steps: Royal Mail launched an in-app scanner for customers to check stamps
  and reports that barcoded stamps have reduced counterfeits by roughly 90% since 2022.

What Consumers Can Do (Royal Mail Guidance)

• Be cautious of deep discounts on stamps from unknown or unofficial websites.
• Buy only from approved outlets such as the Post Office, reputable High Street retailers, or Royal Mail’s official site.
• Look for anomalies such as unusual gloss, strange colouring, or irregular perforations—though
  visual inspection alone is often unreliable.
• Report suspected counterfeits through Royal Mail’s help pages.

Where Dupeblock Fits (For Brands & High-Risk Labels Beyond Postage)

Royal Mail’s barcoded stamps illustrate a clear trend: on-item, first-party verification as the
frontline defense. For consumer brands facing similar risks on product packaging, Dupeblock applies the same
principle at scale.

Dupeblock Copy-Proof QR

The QR code includes an embedded copy-detection image. If fraudsters scan, print, or relayout your label,
micro-features degrade—allowing a normal smartphone to flag the fake on the very first scan.

Authentication Agent (Your Domain)

Direct verification through brand.com/verify. Buyers, retailers, platforms, and distributors authenticate in a
trusted channel rather than a spoofable landing page.

Dupeblock Verify (Analytics & Enforcement)

Hotspot maps, auto-alerts, code blacklisting, and exportable evidence packs support faster marketplace
takedowns and regulator cooperation.

Result

Consumers get a one-second truth check.
Brands get clean data, fewer disputes, and rapid enforcement—exactly the kind of protection
this stamp episode proves is needed across high-risk product categories.

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