q: re-using postage stamps that come in the mail that have no ink on them

[Chris Tsao]

Hi,

I received a package in the mail with two one-dollar stamps, and two 37-cent postage stamps and there are no ink-lines from the post office on the stamps or the package, so I am wondering if that means I can get away with re-using those stamps, and I am also curious to know why there are no ink-lines. Did it forget to pass through the stamping machine? Every few years, I get an envelope in the mail that has no ink-lines on the stamps, so does that mean that whenever that happens that I can re-use the stamps, or is there a drop of ink that is unseeable to the naked eye? Thanks in advance.

[Chris Tsao]

Also, is it illegal to re-use the stamps?

[toller]

Yes, it is illegal.

My grandfather, who was a very wealthy man, used to have his secretary soak the stamps off and glue them on new mail. I figured it cost him about $0.50 in wages to save $0.19 in postage (or whatever the rate was then) and illegal to boot.

[dbird]

about 45 years ago i knew a little girl who was in the hospital.. she told me that she would receive letters from her mother and sisters and then take the stamps and erase the ink off the stamps and alway have fresh stamps to write back to her relatives..... of course she was about

12 yrs. old at the time.. if she got caught then the govt. agents would have just laughed at it and told her dont do it again.. i dont think they will treat you the same way unless you are 12 yrs. old?????

[avoidspam]

They most likely had been canceled using an UV sensitive ink and would be detected as such if used again!

[Curt Martin]

Try holding them under a black light.

[Jeff Wisnia]

.:\:/:. +-------------------+ .:\:\:/:/:. | PLEASE DO NOT | :.:\:\:/:/:.: | FEED THE TROLLS | :=.' - - '.=: | | '=(\ 9 9 /)=' | Thank you, | ( (_) ) | Jeff | /`-vvv-'\ +-------------------+ / \ | | @@@ / /|,,,,,|\ \ | | @@@ /_// /^\ \\_\ @x@@x@ | | |/ WW( ( ) )WW \||||/ | | \| __\,,\ /,,/__ \||/ | | | jgs (______Y______) /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

[Suzie-Q]

-> Also, is it illegal to re-use the stamps?

Yes.

[Chris Tsao]

I get accused of being this in most NG's I post in and I'm just being myself.

[Wayne]

[e-mail] (Chris Tsao) wrote in news: [e-mail]:

That doesn't mean you're not a troll.

[xrongor]

hahaha now thats funny.

[Stormin Mormon]

.:\:/:. +-------------------+ .:\:\:/:/:. | PLEASE DO NOT | :.:\:\:/:/:.: | FEED THE TROLLS | :=.' - - '.=: | | '=(\ 9 9 /)=' | Thank you, | ( (_) ) | | /`-vvv-'\ +-------------------+ / \ | | @@@ / /|,,,,,|\ \ | | @@@ /_// /^\ \\_\ @x@@x@ | | |/ WW( ( ) )WW \||||/ | | \| __\,,\ /,,/__ \||/ | | | jgs (______Y______)

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\

.:\:/:. +----------------------------+ .:\:\:/:/:. | PLEASE DO NOT | :.:\:\:/:/:.: | FEED THE TROLLS | :=.' - - '.=: | | '=(\ 9 9 /)=' | Thank you, | ( (_) ) | | /`-vvv-'\ +----------------------------+ / \ | | @@@ / /|,,,,,|\ \ | | @@@ /_// /^\ \\_\ @x@@x@ | | |/ WW( ( ) )WW \||||/ | | \| __\,,\ /,,/__ \||/ | | | jgs (______Y______)

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\

[Chuck Yerkes]

Stamps are a tax - with the PO, they represend a levy paid to get a package from one place to another.

That fee was paid, and the stamps are the representation of that. (see also liquor bottles, cigarettes, etc).

Using them again would indicate that they ALSO are being used to pay for your thing to be sent. And you haven't made that payment. So you'd be stealing services from the Post Office.

[Kurt]

As understand it, even if they don't appear to be cancelled, the Post Office marks it with a clear material somewhere in the sorting process that renders it cancelled if used again.

[AC/DCdude17]

Yes, says the Post Office