Tag Archives: Consumer affairs

A Telegraph investigation in April found Chinese factories were offering to flood Britain with forged stamps in what security experts described as an “act of economic warfare”.  The data log, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, shows the Post Office recorded 27 accusations that postmasters were selling fake stamps between …

Royal Mail disclosed the total number of penalties issued after Labour MP Liam Byrne, who is chairman of the Business and Trade Committee, wrote to the firm’s new chief executive Emma Gilthorpe demanding answers in light of the public concern. However in his response to the Committee, acting chief executive …

Whistleblowers in delivery offices have also painted a picture of chaos and confusion. Staff admitted they routinely sent back letters with so-called counterfeit stamps to regional mail centres for review believing Revenue Protection – the department responsible for inspecting letters and distributing fines – were making “a lot of mistakes”. …

One whistleblower said they dealt with surcharges “on a case by case basis” and said colleagues would often not charge customers and let them have the post without paying the “silly” £5 fine. They added they had sympathy for revenue protection staff who they claim are “misidentifying” stamps because Royal …

More recently Royal Mail has become embroiled in a row after a Telegraph investigation revealed that China had flooded Britain with counterfeit stamps, landing victims with £5 penalties. Senior MPs have since called on the postal service to stop the “unfair fines” while it investigates issues with new barcoded stamps, …

Yesterday senior MPs called on Royal Mail to stop the fines, which increased last October from £2.50 to £5, as it investigates issues with new barcoded stamps. A spate of customers claim they have been wrongly surcharged. The Liberal Democrats said it was “ridiculous” customers were being caught up in …

It quickly became the must-have membership of the Covid era. When the Pret coffee subscription was launched in September 2020, it cost £20 a month, with the first month free. Customers loved it. Five drinks a day, ranging from coffee and tea to smoothies, and a sign-up process which saw subscribers sent …

Meanwhile Baroness Altmann, vice chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Consumer Protection, said the law should be changed so that only the Post Office can sell stamps. The former pensions minister said: “We actually got caught out by that last year. My uncle had his birthday last summer and …

An executive at Royal Mail said: “When letters arrive at the mail centre, they all go through the system and the barcode is read. If the barcode comes up as suspicious it is rejected and goes into a separate channel for further checks. “A revenue protection person will then inspect …

Alicia Kearns, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, demanded the Chinese state launch an investigation and crack down on factories “brazenly” producing the counterfeits. She said: “It is incumbent upon the Chinese state to now crack down on these companies who are openly supporting illicit trade in stamps, investigate printing …