Supposedly Use Of Used Stamps

A mailing envelope from a friend in the UK with uncanceled stamps on fragment of another envelope. Adjacent label with various lines of text with

This item has been surcharged because -
Used stamps/or meter impression -(ticked)

However no markings directing its return or that additional postage was needed. I asked my friend about it and he told me it was cut from an envelope he had prepared which turned out to be too small due to the need to add additional items to the packet.

Curious.

He shoukdn't have cut the unused stamps from the old envelope so crudely - the natural suspicion would be that the stamps had previously gone through the postal system unfranked.

Here is a case of reusing used stamps that made the news in the UK last year:
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ne...old-15632376

Poster 5 - Warning - Reusing Postage
USPS doesn't approve of reusing used postage stamps. From one of their posters on the subject:

July 2005

WARNING!
Once a postage stamp has been used, it is a federal crime to:
1. Remove, attempt to remove, or assist to remove cancellation marks from postage.
2. Reuse a stamp whether cancelled or not.
If you have questions concerning the reuse of postage, please contact your local Postal Inspector.
Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 471 and 1720
Poster 5 July 2005
PSN 7690-03-000-9182

I assume they thought it was used because it looks like it.
Interesting they didn't charge extra though.

I get these regularly, never any problem.
My dealer uses genuine stamps all varieties, sticks them on a piece of brown paper, then sticks that paper to my cover.

I am assuming he has staff to do this in preparation for mailing.
His way of postage accounting.

modernstamps - yes, that is the irony of the situation.