Question: Every so often lately, an advertisement for 100 USPS Forever stamps at half-price pops up on my Facebook account. I have been deleting it immediately, under the tried-and-true advice that, “if it sounds too good to be true … ” Now I’m wondering if I am actually missing out on a legitimate bargain. I do love selecting the perfect greeting card for every occasion, and sending it off to loved ones.
Answer: You’re not missing out. The huge discount is a “tell-tale sign” that you’re being offered counterfeit stamps; it is a federal crime to produce, buy or use them, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“The number of counterfeit stamps being sold from online platforms has escalated. 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,” the USPIS says on its website.
Many of these fakes are produced outside the United States. Imposters commonly mimic the USAForever flag design, although more recently replicas of a Forever stamp with a red, white and blue starburst design have been seized. The best way to avoid buying fake stamps is to purchase your stamps from the U.S. Postal Service or from approved postal providers; don’t buy stamps from any unfamiliar person or outlet, the USPIS says.
Legitimate vendors such as “big box” warehouse stores may offer a slight discount on genuine Forever stamps, thanks to resale agreements with the U.S. Postal Service. But the discount would be small, nowhere near the 50% off you’re seeing on social media. Trust your instincts, and keep deleting the bogus offers.
You can report counterfeit stamps and sellers at uspis.gov/report.
Forever stamps, which cost the same as regular first-class stamps, “can be used to mail a one-ounce letter regardless of when the stamps are purchased or used and no matter how prices may change in the future,” according to the U.S. Postal Service.
Q: Is Assaggio Italian Restaurant in Kailua, which had a fire last October, expected to reopen or close for good?
A: The restaurant expects to reopen but no date has been announced as renovations are taking longer than expected, according to an update posted to its Instagram page three weeks ago. It says: “Renovations are underway, unfortunately there were a lot more repairs than we anticipated. Our crew is working hard to get us back up and operating soon. We miss you guys!”
Our call to the restaurant at 354 Uluniu St. in the Kailua Business Center went unanswered and there was no option to leave a message. The recorded greeting says the closure is temporary due to the fire and refers customers to the restaurant’s social media for updates.
The fire on Oct. 10 was reported at about 1:30 a.m., when the restaurant was closed, and was mostly confined to the kitchen, according to news reports at the time; no one was injured. A manager predicted in the immediate aftermath that the long-time Kailua eatery would reopen in about a month, but that did not occur.
Auwe
Auwe to a dark-colored SUV that sped at least 50 mph on Hawaii Kai Drive, cut me and others off, illegally used the bus lane and scared an older gentleman waiting to cross the street. And for what? So you could wait for us all at the red light at Kalanianaole Highway? What makes you so important that you don’t have to follow the law? Slow down! — Law-abiding motorist
Mahalo
A belated mahalo to the person who turned in my Citi credit card at Longs Manoa. It was found in the shopping cart. Thank you very much for your honesty. — Senior citizen
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
