Hartford (WTNH) - Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is voicing his concern over
personalized postage stamps.
It's a cute and clever idea from the United State Postal
Service. You can upload your favorite picture and it will be made
into a postage stamp. But combine a stamp with a return address and
you might be attracting predators.
PhotoStamps.com began making the personalized stamps last year. The USPS jumped at
the chance to add revenue, but despite its success, several alert
citizens have complained about a danger if the information is
intercepted.
"These personalized postage stamps can provide a road map to
predators. Our warning to parents today is to use caution and
care," Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal says he's holding the US Postal Service responsible,
writing to the Postmaster General three weeks ago. He has yet to
receive a response.
"It's a very significant and profoundly important policy issue
as to how the US Postal Service will safeguard children when it
invites parents to put their pictures on postage stamps,"
Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal is not asking for a ban of all personalized stamps,
but possibly a restriction on certain photos being used.
Blumenthal calls this warning a pre-emptive measure. He says
there have been no actual predatorial cases linked to any of the
personalized stamps.