File   : STAMPS.TXT
Author : Pharlap Johnson
BBS    : The Banana Republic BBS


            CHEATING STAMPS v2.0 as directed by Pharlap Johnson


   Just a quick note to those who are exceptionally dumb.  The contents of 
   this file are about illegal things so if that turns you off then reset
   your computer now!  Stamp cheating is fraud and if you get caught then 
   you could be in real shit.....but if you do get caught then you are a
   poor criminal.  Always remember, if you can't do the time, then don't do
   the crime!


The Glue Method:

Cheating stamps is real easy and there are a few different ways of doing it.
Basically what you are trying to achieve, is to put something on the stamp
that can aid the removal of the post mark.  The obvious thing to think of is
sellotape but sellotape looks very obvious so forget it now. More guys have
been caught using sellotape than anything else.  The best thing to use is
GLUE!  The sort of glue you want is paper glue and comes in the form of a pen
for easy application.  All you do is cover your stamps with the glue and when 
it dries it leaves a nice thin plastic coating.  You should experiment around
so you can get the optimum layer of glue on your stamps.  You neither want too
much glue which can look extremely obvious or too less glue in which case the
postmark, when stamped, will go straight through your plastic layer and mark
the stamp.  Different brands of glue give totally different results.  When I 
started out I was using a poor brand of glue that was extremely obvious and
you needed to apply heaps of it to protect the stamp.  New Zealanders are
advised to use Sprite Paper glue but you overseas guys will have to experiment
around to see what brands are best.  So there we are, it is very simple.  If 
you should get caught then you must be a real idiot!  It is so easy to do this
and get a perfect coat that is close to invisible.  I reckon that you should 
get about 10 uses out of each stamp and one cannot complain at that!


Miscellaneous tips:

- a lot of the time if you send a pack with defficient postage it will get 
  there safely anyway.  A good example of this is I have about 10 Swedish 
  contacts and the amount of postage they put on similar sized packs varies
  from 2.50 krone to 15 krone!  That is a fair saving.  Unfortunately some
  Post Offices are strict and won't let stuff with a large amount of 
  defficient postage go the service that is required  ie they may send it
  surface mail instead if air-mail.  
- If you are not gluing your stamps then place them all over the envelope.
  Post Office workers usually cannot be bothered stamping about 10 different
  stamps and will probably just postmark a couple of them.
- Always look closely at stamps that you receive.  Sometimes, like above the
  Post Office will miss postmarking a couple of them or alternatively they
  will only catch the corner of it.  This is good becuase if just the corner
  has been nicked then you can reuse the stamp.  Either rip off the corner or
  carefully when putting stamps on envelope/package, lay another stamp just 
  over the postmark to cover it up.  


The Ultimate:

The ulitmate thing to be able to do is soak used, postmarked stamps in a
solution that gets rid of the postmark but leaves the stamp in perfect 
condition.  I know that this has been done and an English guy was caught doing
it in late '89.  Just imagine the endless possibilities!  There is another 
method that can be done and is what we use but that is top secret and I only 
tell my close friends.  Happy cheating and catch you on the Banana!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHOR : Pharlap Johnson
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brought to the WORLD by the Banana Republic BBS, Auckland, New Zealand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

