Illegal Stamps

If You receive any information about illegal postage stamps or if you have concerns about the legality of some postage stamps, we ask You to share this information with us. Anonymity and confidentiality are guaranteed. Please indicate where you have seen illegal stamps in the given form and send it to us. Your information will help us to eliminate illegal postage stamps from the market.

The philatelic agency Stamperija Ltd., the official representative of Guinea-Bissau post office

www.pharmacity.com.ua/
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www.wasuretai.com

Legal postage stamps can be produced by a post administration of a corresponding country or by an authorized philatelic agent. Unauthorized agents have no right to produce postage stamps. Only official stamps can be used to pay for postage services.

The agent and the post administration decide together on themes, designs, denomination, release date, edition and other important questions regarding stamp production. Philatelic agent is responsible for the quality of produced postage stamps.

Illegal postage stamps cause huge problems to authorized philatelic agents and stamp collectors. This is the reason why collectors and philatelic agents should cooperate in order to stop the circulation of illegal postage stamps in the market.

You can find the descriptions and lists of legal postage stamps in the official websites and stamp catalogues of the authorized philatelic agents: Scott (USA), Yvert and Tellier (France), Michel (Germany). Stamp lists also often appear in various philatelic periodicals. 

Fake stamps ≠ illegal stamps.

“Illegal stamps” also refer to the terms “unofficial stamps” or “bogus stamps”. Phrases “phantasy stamps” or “cinderella stamps” do not have the same meaning but are frequently used as synonyms to illegal stamps.

“Illegal stamps” and “fake stamps” should not be used as synonyms as they have different meanings.

Counterfeit stamps or fake stamps are illegal copies of official stamps. A lot of countries regard the production of such stamps as a criminal offence. In order to produce fake stamps a person would attempt to get the original stamps or the files from which they were produced and make very similar copies later selling them as official.

Illegal stamps are private newly produced labels whose producer seeks to imitate official stamps and simulates to have a signed contract with the post administration under whose name the stamps are illegitimately created.

The illegal production of postage stamps is a fraud regarding the post administration of a concerned country and cheating vis-à-vis a collector (except the cases when he/she is informed about the real status of postage stamps). The production and sale of illegal stamps injure the honorable philatelic trade and a time-honored tradition of stamp collecting

 

Illegal Stamps