Counterfeit postage sites are competent at design now. What they are consistently bad at is everything around the product — and that is where you catch them.
Four tells, in the order you will encounter them.
1. The discount is impossible
Above 50% off is counterfeit, without exception. Genuine surplus comes from retail overstock and business liquidations, and that supply caps out around a quarter off face value.
The rate itself is your anchor: a Forever stamp has been 78 cents since July 2025, with no change announced before July 2026. Any offer should be measured against that, not against the other listings on the same page.
2. The seller does not understand postage
This is the most reliable tell and the one people skip. Read the product copy closely and you will find sellers who confuse the one-ounce and two-ounce rates, describe postcard stamps as suitable for letters, or quote a "current rate" that is two adjustments out of date.
A legitimate dealer handles this stock daily. Someone printing sheets does not know the difference and does not need to.
Best deals on Forever stamps
3. The checkout is wrong
Requests for cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers or any unsecured checkout are decisive. These are not payment preferences — they are chosen because they cannot be reversed.
Pay by card or through a processor with buyer protection. If a seller will not accept one, you have learned what you needed to know before spending anything.
4. The site has no history and no contact
Blurry logos, awkward phrasing, a missing physical address, no telephone number, a domain registered weeks ago. Individually each is weak evidence; together they are a pattern.
The USPS Postal Inspection Service publishes warnings on the schemes currently in circulation, which is a better reference than any review you will find on the seller's own site.
What the legitimate options look like
| Channel | Price | Safety | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post office counter | Face value | Certain | Formal mail, full design catalogue |
| Official online store | Face value | Certain | Specific designs, shipped to you |
| General retailers | Face value | High | Casual senders, emergencies, long opening hours |
| Large marketplaces | Some discount | Seller-dependent | Bulk, if you check trading history |
| Specialist surplus dealers | 10–30% off | High when verified | Small business and bulk buying |
| Classifieds and local groups | Cheap | Poor | Avoid unless you can verify it yourself |
Designs that stay useful
For everyday mailing, two families cover it. Florals — vintage rose for invitations and formal notes, garden series for bright everyday use. Flags — the 2014 issue is widely recognised and traditional, the 2022 cleaner and better suited to business mail.
Commemoratives are lovely and specific. Buy them because you want them, not as bulk postage you will still be using in two years.
Where to buy
The USPS official store, or a verified surplus channel such as Forever Stamp Center for business volume.
The short version
Check the discount against 78 cents, read the product copy for rate errors, refuse any seller asking for irreversible payment, and treat a new domain with no contact details as an answer. Four checks, about two minutes.
More on buying Forever stamps
- 👉 Roosevelt Stamps: The Birth of the Roosevelt Stamps
- 👉 How to Choose the Right Children's Stamps for Bulk Purchases
- 👉 Cheap Wedding Stamps? How to Buy Smart Instead
Retired USPS mailroom supervisor with 30 years of service in Chicago. He now contributes columns on Forever Stamps, sharing trusted advice on spotting counterfeit risks and finding reliable discount deals for everyday mailers.
