How To Detect Genuine Vs Counterfeit Flag Forever Stamps?

I read this article about counterfeit Forever stamps and now I'm scared of buying any Forever stamps, especially flag imagery ones on eBay.

https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/i-tri...t-operation/

The article didn't mention how to detect a genuine vs counterfeit Forever stamps (presumably the flag ones). The image of the stamp in the article doesn't have a USPS microprint on it. Does this mean it is counterfeit? Is there a website that explains how to tell a genuine vs counterfeit flag forever stamp? Some sellers on eBay give examples of genuine vs counterfeit ones, and explain how the ones they are selling are genuine, but is that information accurate?

well, one way would be to subscribe to a philatelic journal. Linn's for instance has had several articles on this. On coil stamps the PNC club has had articles on this. There are more but they escape me right now ( age related ).

Peter

You can also consult a copy of the Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue. They have a section towards the back of the book on counterfeit stamps which explains the differences between the real stamps & their fake counterparts. Most public libraries will have recent copies of this catalogue.

Counterfeits

https://www.linns.com/news/us-stamp...-stamps.html

https://www.linns.com/news/us-stamp...etition.html

One common characteristic of many counterfeits is that they lack tagging. They also frequently lack microprinting. Additionally, some counterfeits that I have seen have suspect die cutting especially obvious where the vertical and horizontal rows meet. Genuine stamps usually have clean intersections. Here's a counterfeit example.



Obviously, tagging can't be checked before you buy. As for checking the other characteristics, the scans that the seller posts on eBay may be of genuine stamps.

Non-stamp collectors who read the articles about counterfeits, especially with the "flag and fireworks" stamps would naturally become concerned because "mine don't look like the one in the picture".

With all of the different contractors of these stamps, there are many differences in production details, I.e. Die cuts, paper, and printing.

Good news for the USPS and consumers! Hopefully this will deter counterfeiters.

https://www.securingindustry.com/se....Xwf94i2z1sY

Are they serious? Until very recently they had tagging on the front of a stamp as a useful security feature for detecting counterfeits (it was only very recently that the first tagged counterfeit was reported), yet they turned a blind eye to the counterfeiters despite tons of reports in Linn's and elsewhere that counterfeits were being sold on eBay. So now they want to put tagging in the adhesive, which you can't even see when a stamp is affixed to an envelope? This makes a load of sense.

I still only buy flag Forever stamps directly from the USPS for piece of mind and confidence. How prevalent are non-Flag Forever stamp counterfeits?