Pakistani Criminal, 33, Allegedly Sells Fake Shipping Labels for Just $2 — Then USPS Says $126M Is Gone
Pakistani authorities arrested Faheem Akram, 33, in Lahore on October 20, accusing him of running an online counterfeit postage scheme that allegedly cost the U.S. Postal Service more than $126 million. U.S. prosecutors say Akram operated LabelsBank.com, a website that sold more than 5.1 million counterfeit shipping labels to more than 5,200 customers.
Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency said the detention followed a weeks-long search that included raids across the country.
Prosecutors say the labels typically cost $2 each, regardless of a package’s weight, size, or destination, letting buyers send parcels at rates far below official postal charges. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Akram ran the unauthorized site from Pakistan, and Pakistani investigators say it operated from August 2023 until September 2026.
U.S. authorities have since seized the website and shut it down. The $126 million figure represents the alleged losses to the Postal Service in lost revenue and shipping costs, not the amount Akram earned from selling the labels.
Investigators identified 16 bank accounts they believe were linked to the operation, seven in Akram’s name, five belonging to his brother, two to his wife, and one each to his sister and aunt.
They raided 35 locations, questioned 47 people, and are examining whether others helped run the site, process payments, or distribute the labels. A federal grand jury in Florida indicted Akram in September, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service had offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
He faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make and sell counterfeit postage, five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage labels, and four counts of wire fraud.
If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy and counterfeit postage counts and up to 20 years on each wire fraud count. It remains unclear whether the U.S. will extradite him or whether he will be tried in Pakistan. These are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
For anyone who ships packages, the case is a reminder that postage bought from unofficial websites can be counterfeit and may not be recognized by the Postal Service. Shippers should buy postage only through the Postal Service or its authorized partners, since a label that looks official can still leave a parcel unpaid for and unprotected in transit.
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