Counterfeit AP post satchels being sold on ebay

[chameleon54]

I had heard that there where counterfeit Australia Post satchels being sold on ebay but didnt realise how common they where. I have had a few packs of ten I have purchased over the last six months that have looked a bit different from the norm, but all have mailed succesfully.

Today I recieved a letter from AP advising that I had used a fake satchel and enclosing an account for the postage cost and an extra fee for the delivery service. I had already used most of the satchels from the pack, which had passed through the AP system unquestioned, and I suspect I may have inadvertantly mailed up to 50 other fake satchels over the last few months, all purchased on ebay.

So what to look for. .......

The biggest give away is that the fakes have a different stick on bar code sticker in place of the normal satchel sticker. This is a genuine AP bar code, given away in rolls by AP to customers to attach to parcels and pay for when used. The second indicator is the fakes I have seen all have two round punch holes in the satchel corner. The third indicator is the fake satchels are more difficult to write on. The last lot I had required a texta as a normal biro would not write on the surface. As the bar code stickers are a genuine AP product, they scan in succesfully when presented at the post office counter.

According to my local AP office. the counterfeit satchels are made in China with Australian sellers attaching the AP bar code sticker to the bags before selling them on ebay. Unfortunately I buy a lot of these satchels and so cant be sure which seller I got the fakes from, but will be keeping a close eye out for them in future.

Below is a photo of one of the fake satchels.

[brerrabbit585]

I thought they'd probably be smart enough to use photos of genuine satchels in the listings but thought it was worth a try. When I used to type up police interview transcripts I soon learnt there were three types of crooks - really dumb ones, really smart ones (who rarely get caught), and the in between ones.

About a year ago there was a seller who'd sold thousands of the things. They had quite a few listings for them (for different quantities) and the selling history on each one showed they'd sold hundreds. Some listings were for $1,000 worth of satchels, some even higher. I think some of them regularly changed IDs to sell on because every time I looked it was different people selling them.

I'm glad AP are going after them because the rest of us are all paying more to make up for the lost money. I think a little bit of publicity in the news would stamp out the practice pretty fast but AP probably prefer to catch the culprits because that way they can trace how many they've sold and recoup their money, or at least some of it. Mind you, they'll probably only get a slap on the wrist. One of my neighbours got convicted of drug trafficking (ICE), having a sawn off shotgun, stealing umpteen computers, and a bike worth $10k. All he got was 4 months. Stupid idiot appealed and they gave him 5 months.

[countessalmirena]

Now I have a vision of a drug pusher shouting "Only four months? But I'm a dangerous criminal! Only four months? Are you kidding?"... and the judge wearily saying, "All right, five months."

[brerrabbit585]

It makes a mockery of them saying they're doing everything they can to stamp out the scourge of ICE, doesn't it? I did a 12-month stint in a police station as a typist back in 1978 and I remember just having a sawn off shotgun back then was enough to have you put away for a fair stretch.

[mxmee]

NEW FAKE EXPRESS POST BAGS(SATCHEL)SALE ON EBAY.

The express post label from "9979634..........." and the label from "9979634..........." has been used 2 different size bags (3 kg satchel and 5 Kg satchel). If you use AP apps to scan will get from " 634........... " 14 digital tracking number. That 14 digital tracking number from " 634........... " the postage didn't paid. If lodged post office will get " article lodgement express post label tracking number: ..............."(doesn't show size the satchel). All express satchel if lodged in post office will show size the satchel. E.g, The old tracking number(bar code) 500g from "606......" , 1 Kg from "485......" , 3 Kg from "607......" and 5 Kg from "608......" will show "express post small satchel", "EP 1 Kg satchel", "express post medium satchel" and "express post large satchel". The new QR code tracking number I don't explain.
These are not prepaid postage satchel.

[tazzieterror]

Your post gets full marks for obfuscation!

[offroad7400]

I think the poster used Google Translate to convert their jibberish into Engrish. I did a reverse translation on the text and this might help explain better what they are attempting to communicate...

EBAY上有新的假快递袋（小背包）销售。

“ 9979634 ...........”的特快专递标签和“ 9979634 ...........”的特快专递标签已使用2个不同尺寸的袋子（3公斤挎包和5个 公斤挎包）。 如果您使用AP应用程序进行扫描，则会从“ 634 ...........”获得14个数字跟踪编号。 来自“ 634 ...........”的那14个数字跟踪号码没有支付邮费。 如果寄回的邮局会得到“物品寄出的快递标签追踪号码：......”（不显示书包的大小）。 所有快递公文包（如果存放在邮局中）将显示公文包的大小。 例如，“ 606 ......”起的旧跟踪号码（条形码）为500g，“ 485 ......”起为1千克，“ 607 ......”起为3千克，5千克 从“ 608 ......”将显示“特快专递小挎包”，“ EP 1公斤特快挎包”，“特快专递中号挎包”和“特快专递大号挎包”。 我没有解释的新QR码跟踪号码。
这些不是预付邮资的邮包。

[offroad7400]

If they are fake it's a big take and police would of been knocking at the sellers door long ago... on sale over 6 months and lots of sales.
eBay item number: 202951481664

Fake satchels are as common as fake Microsoft licences.

[davewil1964]

0 results

[mxmee]

eBay item number:202994730455, 202987925322, 202989782169, 202980728096, 202994730724

[davewil1964]

I think you need to provide an actual example.

The picture you have attached clearly shows the satchel as accepted by the Post Office and that no payment was due. Therefore making it a legitimate prepaid satchel, not a counterfeit one.