Michigan Residents Targeted by Fake Forever Stamp Scam

The United States Postal Service (USPS) just raised the price of Forever stamps from 78 cents to 82 cents effective July 12, 2026. When the program first started back in 2007 the original cost was 41 cents.

Do the math: that's a 100% price increase from where we originally started 19 years ago.

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With the price of everything going up these days, from the rollercoaster of gas prices to Forever stamps, folks are looking for any creative way to save a buck or two. However, some deals seem just too good to be true, and they usually are.

The USPS is urging residents across Michigan and the U.S. to beware of online retailers offering "deep discounts" on postage.

Scammers peddle fake stamps on social media marketplaces, e-commerce sites via third party vendors, and other websites. Counterfeit stamps are often sold in bulk quantities at a significant discount–anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of their face value. That’s a tell-tale sign they’re bogus. - United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)

As a Millennial I always keep a Forever stamp or two tucked away in the rare event I need to mail something, so I had no idea counterfeit Forever stamp rings even existed!

However, as a newly engaged and potential 2027 bride, I could have learned this lesson the hard way.

Imagine spending hours carefully designing your wedding invitations, printing them, and addressing each envelope-- only to be told the stamps you used and paid for could violate federal law? The horror!

While the USPIS advises looking for retailers who have the "Approved Postal Providers™" designation:

Stamps being sold at a substantial discount and/or from a vendor outside of the United States means that the stamps are more than likely counterfeit. To ensure your mail is delivered, do not use stamps bought from unapproved vendors.

A list of Approved Postal Providers can be found here.