Pakistan arrests man in $126 million US postage fraud scheme

Pakistani authorities have arrested 33-year-old Faheem Akram, who is accused of operating an online counterfeit postage operation that allegedly cost the United States Postal Service (USPS) over $126 million.

According to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Akram operated the website LabelsBank.com from August 2023 to September 2026. The platform reportedly sold more than 5.1 million counterfeit shipping labels to over 5,200 customers. The labels were sold for a fixed price of approximately $2 each, regardless of the package's weight, size, or destination, allowing users to ship items at rates significantly lower than official USPS tariffs.

Investigators found that Akram utilized 16 different bank accounts to facilitate the scheme, including accounts held by his wife, brother, sister, and aunt. Akram faces multiple charges in the United States, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., making and selling counterfeit postage, and wire fraud. It remains undecided whether he will be extradited to the United States or face trial in Pakistan.