If a stamp have a barcode, why not just let people who have printers at home to print it on the envelope directly? This eliminates the need to buy physical stamp, thus the probability of buying counterfeit stamps.
Here in NL, you can get a 9 letter/digit code from the app or website to write (or print) on the envelope. For example:
A 8 F
2 C D
5 P V
In Sweden to, but they cost more than an ordinary stamp for some reason
Similar in Germany
This is way nicer than barcodes. Just a pen will do.
Ay one point Deutsche POST even had a sms-service for stamps. Probably thr easiest way to get a stamp.
Sorry but at this point my money is on the Post Office being incompetent and dishonest. They have form given the ongoing Horizon scandal.
- This is a newly introduced system
- There’s no evidence it has ever worked correctly
- I’m not seeing any corroborating evidence, e.g. people being prosecuted for making or selling forged stamps
- I’m not seeing an explanation offered as to why such forgery is only happening now as opposed to before barcodes were introduced
Isn’t Post Office just a convenience store? I thought the Horizon scandal is to the Royal Mail, which is responsible for stamp printing and mail processing.
On checking: You’re correct that the royal mail and the post office are separate organisations. They split in 2012. At the time of the majority of the active development of the horizon scandal, they were the same organisation however.
I would still want to apply the same test - not just demonstrating a notional or paper loss, but that something has actually been stolen and acquired by some other party. This was one of the signal failures with the horizon scandal: that it was simply a bookkeeping error and they were unable to show beyond that any theft or loss on their part or gain by another party.
Are the bar codes really to prevent forgery? Or some other purpose? I’d never heard of counterfeit stamps before. It would be like counterfeiting one dollar bills.
I believe counterfeit stamps is always a problem but never been discussed publicly, though I can’t deny the barcode could be used for other purposes like tracking internally.
And you’re right at counterfeiting 1 dollar bills analogy. People can just print and mail it at a lower than what real stamp cost, sell it to unsuspicious people and earn the difference.
Yes, but the stamps have mostly been bought from the post office, who get it from royal mail. Given how few people even bother with stamps these days, what’s more likely? An organised gang infiltrating supply chains with undetectable forgeries, or an IT malfunction that means the codes are not being registered properly in the first place? I know where my money is!
Especially with the history of the royal mail, it systems and wrongfully accusing people.
That’s the post office, not royal mail, but really any large company could make this fuckup
You might be right. I spent a little time to gone through a few online shops, including Chinese, and couldn’t find one that I can tell it’s clearly counterfeit. Unless I bought it and Royal Mail have something for me to verify its authenticity.
OP, you can do just that on the website or app.
Yeah. I never notice I can send letters online until now.
However, can it be dropped to post box like regular mail with stamps, or I need to go to a service counter to have it mailed?
I’ve printed a barcode and posted it normally and it arrived OK.
Because they sell that privilege to Pitney Bowes and the like. Wouldn’t want to disrupt their cash cow.
This is wqhat Royal Mail does.annd Indeed it’s slightly cheaper to login to their website, purchase and print postage and then drop it at the Post Office than it is to buy thhe Stamps at the Post Office.
Can I drop it in post box instead? There is a post box nearby, not Post Office. Otherwise I will need to arrange a collection.
Yeah i think so. Ive done that plenty of times. I find it weird that Royal Mail will offer to collect my single second class letter by default. How does that work without a letterbox? Do i have to stay in all day waiting for the Postman?
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You can wait for the postman to collect your mail, or leave it at “secure location” for the postman to pickup.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
Ah yes the infamous secure location - In the (empty) plant pot, under the car, in the wheelie bin (on bin day) - These are some of my favourite ‘secure locations’ our local delivery drivers have identified. - I prefer the post box on my walk.
One more reason to ditch any sort of physical mail.
