The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) wants help finding Faheem Akram, a 33-year-old Pakistani national. It is offering up to $100,000 (about Rs. 2.8 crore) for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
US prosecutors say he ran a website that sold millions of fake postage labels. They estimate the losses to the US Postal Service at more than $126 million. These are allegations. Akram has not been convicted of anything.
What Happened?
A federal grand jury in Florida indicted Akram last month over a website called LabelsBank.com. USPIS has now issued a wanted notice and a reward offer.
Akram is from Khanewal, in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The Justice Department’s statement did not say whether he is in US custody or whether he has entered a plea.
Key Details of the Case
According to US authorities, LabelsBank.com sold fake USPS shipping labels at a flat price of about $2 each. The price stayed the same regardless of a package’s weight, size, or destination.
Here is what the indictment alleges:
- 5.1 million+ counterfeit labels sold
- 5,200+ customers used the site
- $126 million+ in losses to USPS
- Domain seized and website shut down by court order
Akram faces one conspiracy count, five counts tied to making and selling counterfeit postage, and four counts of wire fraud. He could get up to five years in prison on the conspiracy and counterfeit charges, and up to 20 years for each wire fraud count.
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One outlet did the math. $126 million across 5.1 million labels works out to roughly $24.70 lost per label, against a typical sale price of $2. That gap shows how heavily the labels were discounted compared to real postage.
Postal Fraud Scheme
This case shows how a simple scheme can scale. A cheap website, a flat price, and thousands of buyers allegedly added up to one of the larger postal fraud cases in recent memory.
It also shows how far US agencies are willing to reach. A USPIS official said the agency operates beyond U.S. borders and will pursue anyone who defrauds the Postal Service.
Official Statements
US Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said the website has been shut down, the domain seized, and federal charges brought against its alleged operator. The Justice Department also stressed that the indictment is only an allegation.
Khanewal’s District Police Officer, Abid Waraich, told local media that Akram is a software engineer from the city.
He said Akram had allegedly committed similar online fraud in Pakistan before, but authorities never registered a case against him there. Police believe he may be abroad. His exact whereabouts are unknown
How to Report Information
Anyone with details about Akram’s location can call Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455 and say “Law Enforcement.”
Industry Impact
For shippers and online sellers, the message is clear. Cheap postage from unofficial websites is a risk. Buyers of fake labels can face legal trouble, and the packages may be stopped.
It also matters for Pakistan’s tech community. As PhoneWorld noted, the vast majority of Pakistani developers, sellers and online workers have no connection to fraud. One alleged case should not define thousands of honest freelancers.
Final Thoughts
The case is still developing. Akram is wanted, not convicted. The reward stays open until he is found or the case changes. We will update this story when US authorities share more.
