Cheap stamps online could cost you £5 a card: how to spot fakes before Christmas

What's happening

Christmas card season is here, and stamps are dearer than ever. Since 7 April 2026 a first class stamp has cost £1.80 and a second class stamp 91p, up from £1.70 and 87p. Citizens Advice says the first class price is 137% higher than six years ago. That gap makes listings for "first class stamps, 50% off" on online marketplaces look like a bargain.

They usually aren't. Which? warns that Royal Mail does not sell stamps with large discounts, so a big discount from an unofficial seller is a red flag. Counterfeit stamps can be picked up by Royal Mail's scanners, and post carrying a stamp flagged as fake can be charged a £5 surcharge.

At a glance

• Stamp prices since 7 April 2026: first class £1.80, second class 91p, first class large letter £3.30.
• Royal Mail doesn't discount stamps heavily. A stranger selling 100 first class stamps at half price is selling fakes or stolen stock.
• Fakes can cost £5 an item. Royal Mail's surcharge for mail with counterfeit stamps is £5.
• Genuine stamps come from Post Office branches, Royal Mail's website and app, supermarkets and stationers.

Who pays the £5?

When Royal Mail introduced the surcharge, recipients were asked to pay it before they could collect their post. After complaints, including cases where genuine stamps were wrongly flagged, Royal Mail said in April 2024 that it would pause collecting the surcharge from recipients while it rolled out a counterfeit stamp scanner in its app. It said it would try to charge the sender instead, and appointed an expert from stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons as an independent arbitrator for disputed cases. In July 2024 it extended the pause.

We couldn't check Royal Mail's current position because its website blocked our request. If you get a card about a surcharge, read it carefully and use Royal Mail's dispute process if you think your stamp was genuine.

How to spot a fake

• The price. Anything well below £1.80 for first class or 91p for second class from an unofficial seller.
• The surface. Which? says fakes can look unusually shiny.
• The colour. Fakes can be a slightly different shade.
• The edges. Look for perforations that are uneven or wrongly placed.
• The barcode. Royal Mail's app has a counterfeit stamp scanner that tells you if a stamp is scanning as a known fake.

What it could cost: a worked example

This is an illustration, not a real case. Priya needs 40 first class stamps for her Christmas cards. At the Post Office that's 40 x £1.80 = £72. Online she finds 50 "genuine first class" stamps for £45 and buys them.

If even ten of her cards are flagged as carrying fake stamps, that's £50 in surcharges, landing either on her or on the people she's sending to. Her "saving" of £27 on 40 stamps becomes a loss. Using second class instead would have cost 40 x 91p = £36.40, cheaper than the fakes and with no risk, as long as she posts by the last recommended date.

What to do now

1. Buy stamps from a Post Office, Royal Mail's own shop, or a supermarket or stationer.
2. Avoid big discounts from marketplace sellers and social media.
3. Scan any stamps you're unsure of with the counterfeit checker in the Royal Mail app.
4. Keep receipts. If a genuine stamp is flagged, proof of where you bought it helps your dispute.
5. Report fake stamp sellers to Royal Mail online or on 03457 740 740, and report the listing to the marketplace.

Questions

I've already bought cheap stamps online. What can I do?

Ask the marketplace for a refund on the basis that the item isn't as described. If you paid by card, your card provider may be able to help. Don't use stamps you think are fake.

Are my old stamps still valid?

Everyday stamps without a barcode stopped being valid in 2023. Royal Mail has run a swap-out scheme for old non-barcoded everyday stamps, so check its website before you throw any away. Christmas and special stamps without barcodes remain valid.

Is second class fast enough for cards?

Yes, if you post in time. The Post Office lists Friday 18 December as the last recommended date for second class before Christmas.

Ways to save

Second class halves the cost of most cards. If you'd rather not post at all, Moonpig will send a card straight to the recipient. For cards to post yourself, see Dean Morris Cards and The Works, or make your own with supplies from Hobbycraft.

Sources: Which?: Royal Mail plans to tackle counterfeit stamps, International Post Corporation: Royal Mail announces additional action, Royal Mail: prices 2026, Citizens Advice, Post Office: last posting dates 2026