How the Royal Mail has stamp penny-pinchers beat this Christmas

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 19 Nov 2017, 09:40

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It is a money-saving trick used by the most miserly of penny-pinchers.

But now mail bosses have warned people that re-using apparently unmarked stamps could leave the recipient facing a fine, due to technology which can spot stamps which have been through the postal system twice.

In the past, stamps which had not been marked with an inky franking mark were often considered fair game to be used again – although the practice was technically illegal.

But now the Royal Mail uses UV franking machines, meaning that stamps which look unused to the naked eye are likely to be flagged up when they are put through the post a second time – and the recipient is then forced to travel to the local sorting office to pay a fine.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “Our sorting machines in our Mail Centres cancel stamps by applying marks and a logo. Other stamped items unable to be put through machines are manually cancelled using a number of methods.

“Royal Mail can also detect whether stamps have been used before to protect its revenue. In cases where this has been detected, there will be an extra postage charge to the customer.

“ We would urge all our customers to ensure that they buy stamps from a Post Office branch, from Royal Mail direct or from a reputable retailer, especially in the run up to Christmas”.

Donald Walker, from Edinburgh, was forced to make a 12-mile round trip to his local Royal Mail office after receiving a card telling him that he had a letter which he needed to collect. When he arrived there, he was charged £2 to pick up the letter – which he found was a piece of junk mail which had re-used a stamp.

The envelope had a sticker on it which said: “Delayed and surcharged. Due to counterfeit/used stamp”. He said: “The letter was unsolicited mail from a removals firm advertising their business.

It is amazing to think that staff from a commercial company peel off stamps and re-use them just to save a few pennies. “It’s hardly good business sense. I won’t be using them now, as the inconvenience of picking up a letter I didn’t even want, plus the fine, really annoyed me.”

In 2009, the Royal Mail introduced a “tamper-proof stamp” which has two oblong strips on either side of the Queen’s head. These are left on the envelope when the stamp is peeled away, rendering the stamp useless.

Post by **eastie** » 19 Nov 2017, 10:20

So now no need to frank stamps then that have missed the ink

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 19 Nov 2017, 12:23

"Other stamped items unable to be put through machines are manually cancelled using a number of methods".

Okay, is that a new initiative starting this weekend ?

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 19 Nov 2017, 22:46

"But now the Royal Mail uses UV franking machines, meaning that stamps which look unused to the naked eye are likely to be flagged up when they are put through the post a second time"

But ever since the 1960s to segregate Second Class mail Royal Mail has used ultra violet light that shows up the phosphor signal printed on every British stamp but surely that has never marked the stamp such that it is "likely to be flagged up when they are put through the post a second time".

It's the black postmark that usually does that.

Dorset Plodder · Post by **Dorset Plodder** » 20 Nov 2017, 17:09

I'll believe it when I have it proved to me (as I'm not likely to see it am I)? Sounds like BS to me just to frighten the customers into buying more stamps.

If it's not then it seems like overkill..... why not just get the normal franking machines working properly, they miss hundreds of stamped letters every day.

If it works great, I'm all for stopping fraud, I do have one of those little red hand franking stamps and use it regularly. In fact I was recently told we wouldn't be getting any more replacements. Perhaps that was because of the Super UV Franking Machine!

Mr Rush · Post by **Mr Rush** » 27 Nov 2017, 19:06

So is this basically admitting the little un-peelable tabs that were previously the solution to not having to cancel stamps was in fact a failure?

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 27 Nov 2017, 19:42

Mr Rush wrote:So is this basically admitting the little un-peelable tabs that were previously the solution to not having to cancel stamps was in fact a failure?

Yes, because if the paper is peeled off the back of the stamp, rather than peeling the stamp off the paper, the tabs stay in place

so I am told.

Dorset Plodder · Post by **Dorset Plodder** » 28 Nov 2017, 18:08

Mr Rush wrote:So is this basically admitting the little un-peelable tabs that were previously the solution to not having to cancel stamps was in fact a failure?

That was a really crap design wasn't it? A fellow Postie was explaining to me how you couldn't peel the new stamps off. "So I wouldn't be able to do this then"? I demonstrated peeling the stamp off in front of him. He looked rather crestfallen after that.

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 29 Nov 2017, 15:35

Dorset Plodder wrote:
Mr Rush wrote:So is this basically admitting the little un-peelable tabs that were previously the solution to not having to cancel stamps was in fact a failure?
That was a really crap design wasn't it? A fellow Postie was explaining to me how you couldn't peel the new stamps off. "So I wouldn't be able to do this then"? I demonstrated peeling the stamp off in front of him. He looked rather crestfallen after that.

Yes, a bit like speed cameras switched off or with no 'film' in them.