today at 8:25 PM
I am pretty sure I bought from a seller using this (or something similar) on eBay. It sent me down a rabbit hole of reading about this type of scam that exploded earlier this year: https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2026-04/...
Here's how it went down:
https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/feedback_profile/theperfectpart
Note that they’ve sold so much that even 1k neutral ratings are barely registering - they have “100% positive feedback”
I bought a cheap tool from this seller on ebay. Tracking number was provided showing my town as the destination. About four days later, I get an unprompted ebay message from the seller: “I monitor all my shipments and sometimes there are problems so I’m proactively sending you a new one, here’s a new tracking number.”
The original tracking number showed a message I’d never seen before “Item seized - counterfeit postage”. The new tracking number showed postage that had been bought back in January, but never entered the mailstream. Huh. I suspect that buys them time while they re-ship.
I did eventually get the item after another tracking number was provided.
My suspicion is that the seller uses counterfit USPS postage on 'x' number of packages to juice their margins. If you look at the neutral reviews, you can see a pattern — slow postage, lost package, had to replace, blah blah. Look at the positives — rave reviews at how fast things are arriving. Probably because the seller is “paying” for higher end postage via scamming the USPS.
And only when they get caught by USPS do they need to re-ship an item. They must get away with it enough to make it worthwhile
today at 8:58 PM
Related: Not US postage labels, but suspicious US postage stamps, seemed to also be used as a crude currency.
A third-party seller on Amazon or eBay was including sheets of suspicious US postage stamps in product shipments, unsolicited, with full-color glossy notes offering more stamps in exchange for positive reviews.
(I took the stamps and note I received to a post office, where a manager agreed they looked suspicious, and I asked them forward it up the chain. I like the USPS as a trustworthy service and institution, and I hate counterfeiting.)
today at 9:28 PM
It might have to do with the fact that the First Class stamps exploded in price recently. It was $0.55 right before covid, but now it's $0.82. It's like printing counterfeit money, except easier. A 4x5 sheet the size of a postcard becomes worth $16. The stamps themselves have relatively little in the way of counterfeiting measures, especially if you consider that "Forever" stamps exist. So even if they introduce anti-counterfeiting measures into new stamps, a pirate could print old-style Forever stamps, circumventing the new measures.
The USPS is also, ahem, rather incompetent, and their own report [1] shows that "mitigation efforts are limited, with no substantive approach to identify counterfeit stamps in the Postal Service network. While the Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service have increased prevention-related efforts, the quantity of counterfeit stamps in the network remains unknown."
So the increased value of the stamps, the inability to change old Forever stamps, and the lack of enforcement have created a perfect storm for the counterfeiters.
[1] https://www.uspsoig.gov/reports/audit-reports/counterfeit-st...
today at 10:09 PM
The UK moved to stamps with unique QR codes back in 2023 for the bulk of its stock.
https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps
There are still some "Forever" stamps (those with pictures on or Christmas Stamps) but the old non-QR code non-forever stamps stopped being legal a while back (but you can always swap them for the new ones for free).
I've had people try and reuse a QR-coded stamp, you just get a postcard saying there's an item of mail with invalid postage for you to collect (and pay for). You get to look at it before you decide whether to pay the fine or not and then your argument is with the sender to reimburse you or not.
today at 9:38 PM
I thought that for a while now all stamps are "forever" rather than it being s separate type.
today at 10:13 PM
It's common in the UK to sell them both with a ÂŁ denominated value on them or the class of service. My brother bought loads of the latter a few years ago, which was a great idea, because as mentioned postal rates have increased significantly. The UK post office will also exchange your old unused stamps for new versions (now with QR codes or with sticky backs) for free. So even if they go out of date they alcan be upgraded at no cost.
today at 9:46 PM
USPS still sells denominated stamps from $0.01 to $10.00, in addition to "First Class Forever" stamps - see near the bottom of the filters sidebar on https://store.usps.com/store/stamps
today at 9:04 PM
today at 9:17 PM
What was the end result of this?
today at 8:47 PM
Thanks for the links. I'm confused how this works and the USPS report seems to be heavily redacted around details.
I would assume that the tracking number has the address details tied to it (I mean, based on support claims with USPS it definitely does), but maybe there's some obscure package type where destination is not distinct and they abuse that in a pool with other sellers, then at the last mile it gets sorted appropriately?
Seems wild that this market even exists considering how USPS flat rate postage exists.
Was your package something heavy or extremely light which makes weight-based shipping more economical?
today at 9:10 PM
I’ve read about this. They basically reverse engineered how USPS creates the unique tracking number.
today at 9:25 PM
They aren't hard to generate. They give you how to generate them via their own documentation. It's just made up of an app ID, service type code, mailer ID, serial number, and check digit.
today at 9:08 PM
The redaction is frustrating, but I suspect the approach is still at least partially viable, so they aren't interested in giving a playbook for scammers to exploit.
The tool I bought wasn't what you'd think of as a small, inconsequential item. I'd wager it was ~2lbs and was a automotive brake bleeder in a blowmolded case. Probably the size of an old-timey encyclopedia. Cheaply made of course (almost certainly an aliexpress item). The seller I bought from has what appears to be an aliexpress dropshipping supply chain -- they buy the tool for $, ship from a US warehouse in Florida for $$.
today at 8:48 PM
Why is that report so heavily redacted?
today at 9:03 PM
There was recently an update report published that gives a little bit more information but is still heavily redacted. I presume some of these vectors are still viable for exploit. https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2026-09/...
today at 9:00 PM
Because the redacted bits tell you what the crooks are doing wrong.
today at 9:47 PM
USPS "forever stamps" are (still?) being openly sold on Aliexpress and would be even harder to track.
I would love to know how this worked. Is there a hacked credential somewhere allowing for legit, but otherwise unpaid labels? Are they stolen CCs? Something else?
today at 8:21 PM
So the USPS delivered these packages?
There's no verification built into a USPS label?
today at 8:28 PM
Possibly. Sometimes delivery companies find it easier to just deliver them attempting to return to sender and dealing with headache of customer complaints since while it should have been clear to people buying the labels that they were not legit, a lot of people would be like "HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW? I WANT MY MONEY BACK!"
Yes there is verification. Sometimes the label WAS valid but it was purchased with stolen credit card OR purchased then refunded after delivery to the client but before it entered the postal stream.
EDIT: Remember, boxes can be dropped off before someone processes them. Just hand them random postal carrier OR put them in postal pickup box.
today at 9:57 PM
You can only ship packages from post offices now or by scheduling pickup. Too much darknet drugs I guess. You can drop them in a bin at the post office, but you still have to go in and get on camera.
today at 8:32 PM
This report alludes to (but IIRC stop short) of confirming that there is only validation at the designated ports of entry scans. https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2026-04/...
My suspicion is that these labels are entering the mailstream somehow circumventing the "first" scan.
today at 8:30 PM
they are real labels, im fairly sure. but they are generated fraudulently, likely via stolen credentials on various shipping providers with USPS api
today at 8:44 PM
They're completely counterfeit, not real but generated fraudulently. This article has an example: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/nullship-selling-counterfe...
today at 9:15 PM
This article has some inconsistencies with what I experienced. For example, my label absolutely had tracking before being intercepted. In fact, it made it all the way to my city's distribution center.
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/nullship-selling-counterfe...
Here's the trajectory. Note that the final status has updated to no longer say "counterfeit" it's now just "postage assessment".
----- Delayed for postage assessment, Item in transit to destination
August 13, 2026 5:44 AM
Departed USPS Facility
JERSEY CITY NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 11, 2026 2:08 PM
Delayed for postage assessment, held awaiting payment
August 10, 2026 9:21 PM
Arrived at USPS Facility
JERSEY CITY NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 10, 2026 4:53 PM
In Transit to Next Facility
August 10, 2026 6:24 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
August 9, 2026 7:13 PM
Departed USPS Facility
MYTOWN DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 9, 2026 8:18 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
MYTOWN DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 9, 2026 1:28 AM
Departed USPS Facility
MYTOWN DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 8, 2026 10:30 AM
Delayed for postage assessment, held awaiting payment
August 7, 2026 6:29 PM
In Transit to Next Facility
August 7, 2026 9:14 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
MYTOWN DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 7, 2026 7:17 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
August 6, 2026 7:04 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
August 5, 2026 5:53 PM
Departed USPS Facility
OPA LOCKA FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 5, 2026 4:46 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
OPA LOCKA FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 4, 2026 2:33 PM
today at 10:13 PM
I'm not sure how it works with USPS, but with AusPost here, there is generally an entry at the very start saying 'Label created'.
today at 8:45 PM
If they were real labels the charge wouldn’t be Counterfeiting.
today at 9:42 PM
They can still be real tracking numbers, but faked labels. USPS used to let a lot slide but they've definitely gotten more aggressive with catching packages even slightly out of spec of what the label was for.
today at 8:21 PM
It says that the perp is Pakistani, and that he's been charged, but not that he's been arrested -- so he's presumably still free in Pakistan.
I hear that normally what the FBI would try in such cases is to lure people onto US or extraditable territory. IIRC there were some rogue Chinese chemists, who owned companies that sold fentanyl intermediates and were under secret indictment in the US, who were "invited to a VIP academic conference in Hawaii" and then arrested as soon as their flight landed.
Seems clear that this Pakistani is a bit more circumspect.
today at 9:46 PM
Most countries when presented with evidence that someone who lives there did something criminal will arrest and turn the criminal over to the country the crime was committed in. Sometimes they will put some stipulation in (Europe commonly won't turn a murderer over until the country promises not to seek the death penalty for example), but in general criminals are turned over all the time. In general a country doesn't want criminals living there even if the crime was done elsewhere and so they won't protect their own who commit a crime.
I don't know Pakistan's polices, but I would expect they would turn the criminal over to the US.
today at 10:14 PM
China won't, Russia won't, and there are many others. It appears that Pakistan doesn't usually extradite, or at the very least it makes the process very lengthy and difficult.
today at 9:26 PM
Come to think of it, who knows how many counterfeit postage stamps are in circulation? https://mailtheft.uspis.gov/
today at 9:11 PM
UPS is also full of holes. No verifications whatsoever.
You can purchase a label from a reseller and then ship using that label to a different place at a different weight several times. Battled with this at a previous job.
today at 10:10 PM
This article is about USPS.
today at 9:50 PM
>UPS is also full of holes. No verifications whatsoever.
I've had one of my UPS account numbers used to purchase some labels for someone else (I have no idea who). No way to report this to UPS since I can no longer get in touch with my account rep (who was great, until he disappeared).
today at 8:19 PM
This is labels not stamps correct? How is that even possible?
today at 9:54 PM
There are lots of ways to send packages. Stamps are used for letters, but a package tends to have various restrictions and so they get a shipping label which is supposed to be proof that you paid the correct postage without having to find the correct stamps which would be really annoying.
Business that ship a lot (which is probably most packages) don't go to the post office for each shipment. Instead they buy machines/printers/software/labels which allows them to print off the correct label, and also combines all the money into something they handle the money in one larger transaction. There are lots of options in the above for different needs, if you a shipping a package even once a week you should look into them - often you get a discount for something that is easy for you to do (sorting outgoing mail by zip code saves them a lot of money and so they will pass that on to you)
Because there are so many options you can find one option and duplicate it easily enough and it will take them a while to catch it.
today at 8:29 PM
I'm assuming, but im pretty sure sites like this operate by getting stolen credentials to third party shipping sites. think of all the sites like pirateship, shippo etc. if a companies account is hacked, they could create api credentials and just distribute a ton of requests across all the accounts. more accounts / larger orgs that get compromised = less chance of killing the beast
today at 8:43 PM
> im pretty sure sites like this operate by getting stolen credentials to third party shipping sites
If that were the case the charges would be fraud and the victims would be the companies that paid for the postage. The charge of counterfeiting is pretty specific - if I steal a $100 bill from you and spend it I don’t get charged with using counterfeit money, I get charged with theft.
today at 8:24 PM
These are full shipping labels
today at 8:29 PM
-
today at 8:29 PM
wrong
today at 8:07 PM
Not sure if I should be horrified or impressed. That's an insane amount of postage labels sold.
I wonder how many were returned to sender.
today at 8:08 PM
>Akram is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make and sell counterfeit postage stamps, five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage stamp labels, and four counts of wire fraud.
i would love more insight into how they come up with the number of charges. why five counts of making/selling counterfeit postage stamp labels instead of 1 charge that covers all 5 million, or 5 million charges, etc.
today at 9:16 PM
They probably distinguish between what they think and what they know. It could very well be they ran a “sting” and made a few transactions through the site and are only charging against those transactions to get extradition started while they assemble the larger case.
today at 8:15 PM
today at 8:10 PM
Isn't it one count per distinct criminal act? I think they do it to keep things simple and sane. In some cases they'll drop some, or add more depending on how evidence grows and the case proceeds.
today at 8:16 PM
that was my understanding. i guess maybe they have evidence pointing to 5 distinct counterfeiting runs (of ~1MM stamps each) or something.
i know they like to throw more at the start for a better plea negotiation position, but 5 just seemed rather random here.
today at 8:20 PM
I just looked it up, it has something to do with the ones they're most likely to prove, so maybe they deeply documented at least one or more purchases through the website to document as much as possible about the case? It's possible they could uncover more as they continue investigating. You do raise a good point though, it also depends on how many stamps customers bought.
today at 8:54 PM
As I understand, the feds don't bring charges until their evidence is really really solid. Federal prosecutors have more than a 95% conviction rate.
today at 8:15 PM
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today at 9:35 PM
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today at 8:25 PM
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today at 8:37 PM
You're going to murder people over a $126MM fraud? I know you're trolling and will eventually be flagged and downvoted into oblivion, but come on; that's just absurd.
today at 9:37 PM
That's not totally absurd if you think about it. Police regularly initiate high speed chases for bank robbers and the like, often for values far less than $1M. Of course, not every chase leads to a death, but I suspect if you do the math, the risk of a high speed chase is probably in the neighborhood of "JDAM for $126MM fraud".
today at 9:47 PM
Exactly, the moral option is obviously to allow them to get away with it scott free, or with a slap on the wrist so they can get back to re-committing. Better make it 252MM!
today at 8:46 PM
If one were to use a fairly standard number for the statistical value of a human life, $10MM, then $126MM is about the same amount of harm as the deaths of 12.6 people.
(You have to choose some number as the value of a human life, and the power of the "statistical value" measure is that it is self-determined, derived from the choices people make for themselves of how much money to pay to reduce the risk of dying, aggregated and averaged. You are free to advocate for a different measure, but if so, you need to actually make the argument, ground your measure in something, something that you then need to claim is a better measure than people's own revealed preferences.)
today at 9:08 PM
[flagged]
today at 8:21 PM