AG warns of personalized photo stamps

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.