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Hongkong Post has recently detected sale of counterfeit stamps in some stamp dealer shops, and that these stamps had been used for postal purpose.

The acting Postmaster General, Mr Allan Chiang, said today (Monday), "These stamps were sold in the form of high value definitive stamps souvenir sheets, comprising $10, $20 and $50, which were issued in January 1997 as philatelic products."

"These counterfeit stamps are not easily distinguishable from genuine stamps," Mr Chiang added.

He appealed to the public that when making purchases of definitive postage stamps for postal use, they should as far as possible patronise post offices and authorised agents selling stamp booklets.

These agents include 7-Eleven shops, Daily Stop shops, Shell petrol stations and Circle K shops.

Mr Chiang also reminded the public that any person who fraudulently prints, uses, and any person who knowingly sells counterfeit stamps commit an offence under Section 32A of the Post Office Ordinance.

Such offenders are liable on summary conviction to a fine of $20,000 and to imprisonment for two years, and on conviction upon indictment to a fine and to imprisonment for seven years.

Some notes on how to differentiate between genuine high value postage stamps and counterfeit stamps recently detected in the market are given below:

     Genuine Definitive        Counterfeit Definitive 
     Postage Stamps            Postage Stamps
     ------------------        ----------------------

1.   Paper is wood-free        When examined under a 
                               magnifying glass, wood fibres
                               on the gum side can be
                               detected.

2.   Sharp images because of   Blurred images under a 
     high-resolution printing. magnifying glass.

3.   Perforation holes on the  Perforation holes on the  
     edges are clear-cut.      edges are rough.

4.   Micro-printing images of  Micro-printing images of
     denomination values is    denominations is blurred
     sharp.                    and shifted in position.

Enquiries on details of the differentiation could be directed to Hongkong Post telephone no 2921 6016.

End/Monday, November 30, 1998

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