A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We are working hard to remove counterfeit stamps from circulation." Consumers are being warned to look out for strange perforations around the edge of a stamp ...

Royal Mail has asked customers to look out for stamps with an unusually shiny surface, unusual colouration or inaccurate perforations - although many counterfeits can still avoid those telltale signs.

As I have previously explained, the stamp bore all the signs of being re-used – it was applied to a piece of card, glued on to the envelope and has had the perforations cut off. As well as ...