If you see a large discount for a product sold online, you may wonder if the advertised deal is too good to be true.
That was the case for two VERIFY readers who asked the team about discounted postage stamps sold online, as people throughout the country are mailing holiday cards.
Emerson sent the team an email with a website selling 100 forever stamps for $29.99, or approximately 29 cents each, 31 cents less than the price at the post office. They asked if websites selling discounted stamps are legitimate.
While it’s common to be on the lookout for deals during the holiday season, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) warns people to remember the old adage: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
USPIS confirmed that scam sites are selling fake stamps and looking to take advantage of online bargain hunters.
In a notice posted to its website, USPIS says “the number of counterfeit stamps being sold from online platforms has escalated.”