Uunfranked stamps query ?

scampdog

I recycle as many stamps and jiffy bags etc as I can , however on my weekly visit to the Post Office yesterday the assistant asked if one of the stamps I had on a package had been used previously ? as it happened the one he picked on had not ! it was new but my curiousity got the better of me and I asked why ?....he said the Post Office now just scan the stamp instead of franking ?? as franking is expensive for the post office ??....is this a wind up ? or a way of getting more money out of people ?, there are loads of sellers on Ebay selling unfranked stamps !!....anyway he told me to be careful in the future

campdave

Stamps aren't scanned. If they were, there would be no need for postmarks.

Mind you, if you are re-using stamps, I hope you do get caught out.

ballisticbrian

If you mean recycle stamps that have been used before, you can be prosecuted for doing this. Breaking the law isn't *moneysaving*

soolin

As above, if by recycling you mean defrauding the Royal Mail then this board is not for you.

scampdog

ballisticbrian wrote: »

If you mean recycle stamps that have been used before, you can be prosecuted for doing this. Breaking the law isn't *moneysaving*

No ! but I am a devil for writing Christmas cards/Birthday cards etc and forgetting or not knowing the address ! (sign of age I think) after already putting the stamp on ! so I cut it off !! these days letter writing etc seems like a lost art ! sadly I still have Christmas stamps from last year LOL I stocked up still I can use them soon Xx

ballisticbrian

OK, well thanks for explaining. Some of the depots machinery has a *sniffer* that can detect not only phosphor in the stamp but cellotape and glue. I don't know what happens when it sniffs one of these. Perhaps the letter is thrown out for further inspection. It's true, I'm sure we've all had to glue a stamp on for some reason at some point.

custardy

scampdog wrote: »

I recycle as many stamps and jiffy bags etc as I can , however on my weekly visit to the Post Office yesterday the assistant asked if one of the stamps I had on a package had been used previously ? as it happened the one he picked on had not ! it was new but my curiousity got the better of me and I asked why ?....he said the Post Office now just scan the stamp instead of franking ?? as franking is expensive for the post office ??....is this a wind up ? or a way of getting more money out of people ?, there are loads of sellers on Ebay selling unfranked stamps !!....anyway he told me to be careful in the future

scampdog wrote: »

No ! but I am a devil for writing Christmas cards/Birthday cards etc and forgetting or not knowing the address ! (sign of age I think) after already putting the stamp on ! so I cut it off !! these days letter writing etc seems like a lost art ! sadly I still have Christmas stamps from last year LOL I stocked up still I can use them soon Xx

Really? How many cards do you send in a jiffy bag?

Contains_Mild_Peril

ballisticbrian wrote: »

It's true, I'm sure we've all had to glue a stamp on for some reason at some point.

The self-adhesive stamps aren't so bad but the old style gummed ones often required additional adhesives.

campdave

I use old mint stamps from a dealer. Occasionally the older self-adhesive ones have lost a lot of their stickiness and need a little glue, I wouldn't trust them to stay on otherwise (they come still attached to their original backing paper before someone jumps in).

anotheruser

Breaking the law?

Get out of here!

If I get a letter with a stamp un-marked, I will use the stamp again.
That's like saying if you scan something at the supermarket and it's gone through at a cheaper price than what was displayed but you don't alert anyone, you're stealing!

campdave

It's not, but it's going to be pointless arguing.