Royal Mail‘s transition to barcoded stamps aimed to enhance security but backfired when several senders received penalties for allegedly using counterfeit stamps. Despite the stamp’s intended security features, such as preventing reuse and forgeries, they failed to deter fraud. Investigations revealed that Chinese suppliers were offering to produce forged Royal Mail stamps on a large scale, leading to accusations of economic warfare.
Blame for the circulation of counterfeit stamps was directed at various entities, including the UK Border Force and Royal Mail’s sensitive machines, which sometimes flagged genuine stamps as fake. The Post Office, a separate entity from Royal Mail, denied allegations of selling fake stamps, asserting that stamps are received directly from Royal Mail’s secure printers. The issue compounded existing challenges faced by the Post Office, which had been embroiled in the Horizon IT scandal.
Privacy concerns surrounding the transition to barcoded stamps were largely overlooked, with the stamps offering features like attaching videos through smartphones. However, the rapid shift to digitalized stamps now faces scrutiny, especially with the infiltration of forged stamps into the country. Despite assurances from Royal Mail that the barcodes do not hold personal data, questions remain about potential privacy implications and the efficacy of the new stamp system in light of recent events.
