Official postage stamps are produced only by the post administration of a corresponding country or by its authorized philatelic agents. In case an agency does not have a contract with the post administration of a corresponding country or violate the contract, its produced stamps are regarded as illegal. Only a legal postage stamp might be used as a measure of payment for postal services.

All the essential stamp creating stages as themes, designs, edition, denomination or release date are followed by a cooperation between a post administration and a philatelic agent. Authorized philatelic agent is obliged to produce only best quality postage stamps to its customers.

Illegal production of postage stamps troubles the activity of stamp collectors and philatelic agents so it necessary to cooperate in solving this problem. Official websites and stamp catalogues of the authorized philatelic agents (Scott (USA), Yvert and Tellier (France), Michel (Germany)) provide the descriptions and listings of legal stamps issues. Lists of official postage stamps are also published in various philatelic periodicals.

Fake stamps ≠ illegal stamps.

Illegal stamps are also frequently named as “bogus stamps” or “unofficial stamps”. The less exact phrases “cinderella stamps” or “phantasy stamps” are also often used to describe illegal postage stamps.

“Illegal stamps” and “fake stamps” are sometimes regarded as synonyms but should not be confused as they have different meanings.

The phrase “fake stamps” or a synonym “counterfeit stamps” are used for the illegal copies of official stamps (production of fake stamps is a criminal offence in many countries). Most likely a person who aims to produce fake stamps would attempt to get the original ones or the files from which they were produced and make identical copies (presented as originals).

“Illegal stamps” signify private newly created labels which resemble usual forms, paper and other most important features of stamps and their producer pretends to have relations with a post administration whose name he/she is lawlessly using. It is illegitimate to produce illegal postage stamps and might have serious consequences as it produces much harm to philatelic agents and collectors (unless a collector knows about the illegality of the stamps).