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30 of the Cutest, Most Helpful Teacher Stamps

Bring more joy to the chore of grading.

If you teach elementary school, chances are pretty high that you love a good teacher stamp. Not only are they adorable, but they can also make grading go so much faster, too. Here are some of our favorite teacher stamps you can find online.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Say goodbye to messy hands with these self-inking, interchangeable stamps!

These self-inking stamps will stay moist, so you won’t have to worry about your ink pads drying out mid-year. Use the included tweezers to change out the rubber stamps. Each set comes with two stampers and ten rubber stamps plus the tweezers.

Buy it: Self-inking Stamps /Amazon

2. Show off your love of social media

Your students aren’t the only ones who love social media! Show off your funny side and make their day with this heart-shaped “like” emoji.

Buy it: “Like” Stamp /Etsy

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3. Let your students know you’re proud of their good work

Who doesn’t love a good pun? This “Taco ‘Bout Great Work” will make your students giggle.

Buy it: Taco Bout Stamp /Etsy

4. Melissa and Doug to the rescue!

What’s not to love about this kit? We especially love the Name? stamp, as forgetting to write their name on assignments is a particular struggle for students during the beginning of the school year. The kit comes with washable ink (yay!), gold stars, ten stamps, and colored pencils.

Buy it: Melissa and Doug Stamp Kit /Amazon

5. Make a “super” impression with these customizable stamps

If you’re doing a superhero theme (or even if you’re not), you need this stamp. Customize everything from the hair, facial hair, mask, cape, and name!

Buy it: Superteacher Male Stamp /Etsy (Psst! Ladies, you can find your female super stamp here .)

6. Assorted stamp set

Cover everything with this awesome assorted stamp set. From different types of feedback to parent signatures, this set is so helpful.

Buy it: Assorted Stamp Set /Amazon

7. Periodic personalization

Channel the periodic table with these personalized name stamps. Great for your class library, resource books, or stationery!

Buy it: Periodic Table Stamps /Etsy

8. This book belongs to

Be sure your books get returned with this cute stamp design.

Buy it: This Book Belongs To /Etsy

9. The stamp collection to end all stamp collections

This set covers almost any comment you’d want to make when grading homework and papers. From incomplete reminders to grade stamps to late reminders, this set of 30   stamps will take you far!

Buy it: Teacher Stamp Set /Amazon

10. Stamps + Emojis? Yes, please!

This set of 50 stampmojis is sure to make your students smile.

Buy it: Emoji Stamps /Amazon

11. Don’t forget the ink!

Use fun rainbow colors with your favorite stamps to bring color to your grading.

Buy it: Rainbow Ink Pad /Amazon

12. Encourage at-home reading with this cute raccoon stamp

This is seriously one cute little forest critter. Use this stamp to encourage reading books or poems out loud at home.

Buy it: Raccoon Stamp /Amazon

13. Celebrate success in Spanish

What’s more exciting than a “Buen Trabajo” teddy bear? These options are too adorable to pass up.

Buy it: Spanish Stamps /Amazon

14. Make your student’s day

Words are powerful tools, and there is nothing quite like an “I’m proud of you” message to make a child’s day!

Buy it: Proud Stamp /Etsy

15. Encouragement with wooden stamps

This fun assortment will cover all of the comments you’d like to make for under $10!

Buy it: Wooden Stamps /Amazon

16. Keep things confidential

This stamp is great for sensitive student information or for when you want to keep work anonymous.

Buy it: Confidential Stamp /Amazon

17. Personalize your classroom library

Use this stamp, and your students will never have to wonder if the book in their backpack belongs to your classroom library or the school library. Available in four different designs.

Buy it: Classroom Library Stamp /Amazon

18. Custom teacher stamp

Customize this teacher stamp with your name and any checkboxes you need to get actions completed.

Buy it: Custom Teacher Stamp /Etsy

19. Teaching math? Grab one of these base-10 stamps

Quickly stamp a ten frame and have your students fill in each square. The two-piece set includes the ten frame and the dot stamp. This can also be used to help students learn how to count by tens.

Buy it: Base Ten Stamp /Amazon

20. Explore the world in your social studies class

Spice up your social studies class and take your students on a trip around the world. Grab a few blank passports and use these stamps (all 24 of them) to teach your class about other cultures and countries.

Buy it: Social Studies Stamps /Amazon

21. Get a parent signature

Quickly stamp this on student work to be sure it returns with a parent signature.

Buy it: Parent Signature Stamp /Etsy

22. Jump on the unicorn train

Did your students create magical work? Let them know! This personalized unicorn stamp is too cute not to use!

Buy it: Unicorn Stamp /Etsy

23. Show your expression with star stamps

We love these star stamps with facial expressions to give students feedback. Plus, the set comes with other stamp options too!

Buy it: Star Expression Stamps /Amazon

24. A personalized stamp for Spanish teachers, too

Fully customizable and a great way to “dice buen trabajo.”

Buy it: Personalized Spanish Teacher Stamp /Etsy

25. Personalize all papers from your classroom

Make sure papers, books, and other items are returned to you with this stamp.

Buy it: From the Classroom of Stamp /Etsy

26. Praise students with this round stamp set

These cute, small stamps pack a punch with encouraging messages.

Buy it: Round Stamp Set /Amazon

27. Your students are out of this world

Let your students know how great their work is because it is out of this world!

Buy it: Out of this World Stamp /Amazon

28. Make it personal with your bitmoji

Use your bitmoji to make students smile.

Buy it: Bitmoji Stamp /Etsy

29. An easy essay grading checklist

Use this self-checklist when grading and easily provide student feedback.

Buy it: Essay Grading Stamp /Etsy

30. Keep track of homework assignments

Stay on top of homework information with this helpful grading tool.

Buy it: Homework Assignment Stamp /Etsy

What are your favorite teacher stamps? Come share in our  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out our favorite teacher bags ..

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The Analog Savage

Trying to sort out the analog from the digital and come out with the best for a world saturated with (useless) stuff.

The 22nd Olympic Games, Moscow, Stamps of the Soviet Union 1976

Details of the 1980 Summer Olympics taken from here.   Do not forget to cite, like I just did, albeit in a loose format.  

     The Olympic Games of 1980, would be the smallest since 1956, due to a boycott.  The boycott in 1980 was over the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.  However, these games would still be noteable as the first and only to be held in Eastern Europe to date, and they were the first to be held in a Socialist nation until, remaining the only one until 2008, Beijing China.  The full details can be found above, in the link.  The 1956 games were also boycotted over the Soviet Union.  It is also worth noting that only Moscow, and Los Angeles competed to host in 1980.

   The series consists of four stamps.  The one seen above is the main collectors piece.  It is a miniaturized view of Moscow, or the main center anyhow.  The details:

• Issued: December 28, 1976 (this was in advance of the games) all stamps
• Value: 60 Kopeks + 30 Kopeks, this would have almost been registered mail, and I believe, international mail ( just the one pictured.)
• The bottom reads, ” Moscow- Organizers of the 22nd Olympiad”. (Roughly)

Analog Savage

Brandon Bledsoe 

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Self-Inking No Homework Turned in Stamp (Blue Ink)

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• Perfect for grading homework, parent communication & praising star students
• Great for repetitive use
• Comes with blue ink.
• Easy to use and clean
• Thousands of impressions before needing to re-ink

Buy it with

Product details

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.08 ounces
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ November 15, 2016
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Acorn Sales
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01MSOVNGI
• #13,666 in Business Stamps

Product Description

Update the status on applicable student paperwork with this image letting them know that there is still work to be done and action required on their end. This also helps to communicate it with the parent to keep them aware that work may have been completed but not brought back to the teacher. This practical self-inking stock stamp displays the "No Homework Turned In" message in a clear and professional manner, as shown in the picture, allowing your personnel to quickly stamp multiple education, financial and miscellaneous documents in a timely fashion. Available rubber stamp size is 5/8" tall by 1-5/8" wide with your selection of 12 ink colors. Don't let your office miss out on this great tool!

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Air Mail Stamp Museum

The airmail stamp museum: main entry, interesting airmail stamps and their symbols.

Introduction

The  symbols  used in the design of postage stamps has always interested me. I find  Air Mail  stamps especially interesting with their symbols of flight – aviation is also an interest of mine.

The Air Mail images can speak powerfully for themselves. Nevertheless, we expect to have a page devoted to discussing the topic of Air Mail  symbols  and design shortly.

Each page I offer below is a kind of visual gallery with a certain theme. I hope you enjoy the images. Some of them showed up very nicely using equipment like symbol ls4278 scanners and nice computer enhancement.

• European Air Mail Stamps
• North American Air Mail Stamps
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The Forever Stamp is forever rising in price. How does the U.S. cost compare globally?

Bill Chappell

The U.S. market for domestic mail delivery is by far the largest in the world, and a recent report found its prices are very low compared to other developed countries. The U.S. Postal Service said this week that it wants to raise rates in July. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

The U.S. market for domestic mail delivery is by far the largest in the world, and a recent report found its prices are very low compared to other developed countries. The U.S. Postal Service said this week that it wants to raise rates in July.

The cost of a Forever postage stamp is poised to rise in July, under a U.S. Postal Service plan to boost the price of the first-class stamp to 73 cents from the current 68 cents — a price that was just raised in January.

The 5-cent increase would take effect on July 14. If it's approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, it would be the sixth price hike since January 2021.

Despite the string of increases, the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General says a U.S. postage stamp remains a bargain in the global marketplace, citing much higher prices in Europe and other areas (more on that below).

The U.S. Postal Service has been criticized in recent years as it resorted to measures such as slowing down the mail in response to its financial problems. Last year, the Government Accountability Office credited the agency with making some improvements, but it added that USPS "should continue taking steps to restore its financial viability and Congress should consider additional changes to USPS's unsustainable business model."

The Senate has passed a bill to save USPS billions of dollars and reform deliveries

Are u.s. stamps still a good deal.

The price of a first-class stamp is cheaper in the U.S. than many other developed countries, according to a recent ranking by the USPS Office of the Inspector General , or OIG.

The office compared the U.S. to 30 other nations that were selected by country size and postal service revenue, as well as the ability to source reliable data. The list includes much of the European Union, along with countries such as Canada, Japan, Brazil and Russia.

In raw numbers, only four countries had cheaper stamps than the U.S. And while many postal services have raised prices in recent years, the U.S. increases were moderate compared to most nations in the sample.

"The price of a [USPS] stamp increased by 26 percent from June 2018 to June 2023 ($0.50 to $0.63)," the inspector general report states, "which is less than half of the average increase for our sample size (55 percent) during that period."

When the OIG adjusted its analysis for purchasing power parity — a currency conversion rate used to compare the relative affordability of goods in different countries — the U.S. had the lowest stamp price of the 31 postal services.

Why do stamp prices keep going up?

You're not imagining it: Stamp prices have gone up more frequently, and by greater amounts. And inflation is only part of the story.

"The Postal Service increased the price of [first-class mail] 18 times since January 2000," according to the OIG report, "and has raised prices more frequently in recent years, increasing prices five times between January 2021 and January 2024."

The use of first-class mail, the Postal Service's main revenue driver, has long been in decline. In July 2007, the agency's volume of single-piece first class mail — things like bill payments, letters and cards — stood at 2.7 billion items. By June 2023, that volume had fallen by 68%, to 900 million.

Here's the story of the portrait behind Ruth Bader Ginsburg's postage stamp

That's not to say domestic first-class mail isn't profitable. In fiscal year 2022, its "cost coverage" topped 210%, "meaning its generated revenue was more than twice its attributable cost," according to the inspector general.

But the agency's costs have been rising. So while the cost of stamps was once largely linked to inflation, USPS now uses several criteria in its formula for raising prices, under rules that were eased in November 2020. The pricing equation now includes things like density: the Postal Service's need to deliver less mail — but to more addresses.

The rate hike also takes into account the agency's obligation to pay its retirees' pension and health benefits, an expense that is responsible for more of the new proposed rate hike than is inflation.

"This retirement rate authority is only available for 5 years," a USPS spokesperson told NPR, adding that 2024 "is the fourth year where the retirement authority would be utilized."

So, why are U.S. stamps still cheaper than elsewhere?

One glaring reason is scale. The U.S. "is by far the largest market for the delivery of domestic mail," with the Postal Service "handling half of the world's domestic mail (50.2 percent) in 2021," according to the OIG.

While the USPS has seen a long-term decline in use of its main domestic mail product, the drop has been even sharper and more prolonged in other countries. So while the U.S. agency is seeing dramatic drops in volume, it's better off than Postal Services in many other nations.

And while inflation has put pressure on many economies around the world, some countries — and their postal customers — have felt it worse than others. In the case of the USPS, the "price of a stamp in the United States was 5 percentage points above the rising costs of goods and services from June 2018 to June 2023," the inspector general reported.

Goats and Soda

The humble postage stamp reveals a lot about a country.

Among the other 30 countries in the sample, prices rose by an average of 31 percentage points over inflation in that timespan, according to the report.

Even with the USPS getting new authority to raise its rates a few years ago, the size of those hikes is governed by price caps like the ones mentioned above. But different countries have varying rules to their postage rate increases, meaning some could raise prices more frequently or in larger chunks than the USPS.

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What the data says about food stamps in the U.S.

One component of the  recent deal to raise the federal debt limit and cut government spending  is additional work requirements for certain people who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , or SNAP – commonly known as food stamps.

The food stamp program is one of the larger federal social welfare initiatives, and in its current form has been around for nearly six decades. But many misconceptions remain about the program and how it works. (For one thing, no actual stamps are involved.) Here’s a closer look at the food stamp program, based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Census Bureau and other sources.

The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as the food stamp program, is back in the news amid recent changes enacted as part of a debt ceiling deal between President Joe Biden and House Republicans. With that in mind, we thought it was time to take an in-depth look at the program.

Our main data source was the  Food and Nutrition Service , the agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers SNAP and other food assistance programs. We supplemented the FNS data with data from the Census Bureau’s  Survey of Income and Program Participation , which focuses on the demographic and other characteristics of people and households who receive various forms of federal assistance. We also used the Census Bureau’s population and household estimates in some of our analyses. Finally, we obtained government expenditure data for other federal assistance programs from the  Office of Management and Budget .

How many Americans use food stamps?

The numbers vary from month to month. But in April 2023, the most recent month with available figures, 41.9 million people in 22.2 million households received SNAP benefits. That translates to 12.5% of the total U.S. population.

On average, 41.2 million people in 21.6 million households received monthly SNAP benefits in the 2022 fiscal year, which ran from October 2021 through September 2022.

The program operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands. A separate nutrition assistance program covers Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

How has the number of food stamp recipients changed over time?

The current food stamp program began in 1964 but took several years to ramp up. It wasn’t until July 1974 that states – which share administrative duties over the program with the federal government – were required to extend it to all jurisdictions within their borders. That year, 12.9 million people, or 6.0% of the total U.S. population at the time, received SNAP benefits.

Total participation has ebbed and flowed over the ensuing decades, driven both by economic conditions and changes in eligibility rules. Between fiscal years 1980 and 2008, the share of all U.S. households receiving SNAP benefits oscillated between about 7% and about 11%. But that percentage rose rapidly during the Great Recession and peaked at 18.8% in fiscal 2013 – representing 23.1 million households, or 47.6 million people.

In March 2020, as the nation headed into COVID-19 lockdowns, Congress authorized  extra SNAP benefits for recipients and suspended work and training requirements  for the duration of the declared public health emergency. The number of recipients immediately jumped from 37.2 million in March 2020 to 40.9 million one month later, and topped out in September 2020 at just over 43 million recipients, or 13% of the resident population.

Who is eligible for food stamps?

In general, a household qualifies for the program if it has a gross monthly income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level as well as a net monthly income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four in 2023, this works out to $3,007 in gross monthly income and $2,313 in net monthly income. (These limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii .)

Households with older people (defined as ages 60 and older) or people with disabilities only have to meet the net income requirement. And households of all types are limited in how much they can have in cash, investments and other assets and still qualify for SNAP.

In addition, households receiving other types of aid, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), may be eligible for SNAP automatically.

States have  a certain amount of latitude  in how they administer the SNAP program. For example, they can decide how broadly to extend its benefits to people receiving other TANF-funded benefits, whether to count vehicles as household assets, and whether to count child support payments as income. In addition, there are somewhat different eligibility rules for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

What, if any, work requirements are there for receiving food stamps?

In general, most Americans ages 16 to 59 who aren’t disabled must register with their state SNAP agency or employment office; meet any work, job search or job training requirements set by their state; accept a suitable job if one is offered to them; and work at least 30 hours a week. Failure to comply with those rules can disqualify people from getting SNAP benefits.

In addition, nondisabled adults without dependents must either work or participate in a work program for 80 hours a month, or participate in a state workfare program. If they fail to do so, they can only receive SNAP benefits for three months out of any 36-month period. Until recently, this additional work requirement applied to people ages 18 to 49. The debt limit deal recently enacted raises the maximum age to 54 , a change that will be phased in over three years starting in October. The new law also exempts veterans, homeless people and young adults aging out of foster care from all work requirements.

What do we know about food stamp recipients in the U.S.?

The most comprehensive data source we have is the Census Bureau’s  Survey of Income and Program Participation , although its most recent data is from 2020. That year, 23.6 million SNAP recipients (63%) were adults, and 13.8 million (36%) were children.

Non-Hispanic White people accounted for 44.6% of adult SNAP recipients and 31.5% of child recipients in 2020. About 27% of both adult and child recipients were Black. Hispanic people, who can be of any race, accounted for 21.9% of adult recipients and 35.8% of child recipients.

The vast majority of both adult and child recipients were born in the United States – 82.3% and 97.1%, respectively.

Among adult recipients, 62.4% had a high school diploma or less education in 2020. And despite the program’s work requirements, 61.6% said they had not been employed at all that year.

The Census Bureau also looked at households where at least one person received SNAP benefits. More than six-in-ten of these households (61.7%) reported having no children in 2020, including 34.4% who were people living alone. More than 40% of SNAP-receiving households were in the South, the highest percentage of any region.

How much do food stamp recipients get each month?

In April 2023, the national average benefit was $181.72 per person and $343.00 per household. That was a sharp drop from February’s averages ($245.44 per person, $464.36 per household), reflecting the expiration of the extra benefits put in place during the pandemic .

The nationwide averages conceal a considerable amount of state-by-state variation. SNAP beneficiaries in New York received an average of $212.09 per person in April 2023, while recipients in Oklahoma got $127.32. (These rankings exclude Alaska, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Guam, which have a different scale to reflect higher food costs in those places.)

Why do benefits vary so much by state? One reason is that benefit amounts are largely determined by recipients’ income, minus certain expenses. Household size also factors into the calculation. So a state’s demographics and the condition of its economy will influence how much its residents can receive through SNAP.

The maximum amount of SNAP benefits is based on the  Thrifty Food Plan , an estimate by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of how much it costs to buy groceries needed to provide a “nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet” for a family of two adults and two children. That amount is adjusted for other household types when determining benefit levels. The Thrifty Food Plan was updated in 2021 for the first time in 15 years and is scheduled to be re-evaluated again in 2026.

Which states have the highest and lowest rates of food stamp usage?

In New Mexico, 22.9% of the population receives SNAP benefits – the highest of any state, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of SNAP recipient figures and Census Bureau population estimates for July 2022, the most recent available. The District of Columbia is next-highest at 21.4%, followed by Oregon at 17.8% and West Virginia at 17.7%. (We excluded the Virgin Islands and Guam from this analysis because the Census Bureau doesn’t have 2022 population estimates for them. But using 2020 census counts instead would give them rates of 23.8% and 23.6%, respectively.)

Utah has the nation’s lowest rate of SNAP use: Just 4.6% of Beehive State residents get the benefits, according to our analysis. Other states with low rates include New Hampshire (5.0%), Wyoming (5.1%) and North Dakota (5.8%).

What can you buy with food stamps? What can’t you buy?

SNAP benefits can be used to buy  most groceries for household use , including breads and pastries; meats, poultry and fish (but not, in most cases, live animals and birds); fruits and vegetables; dairy products, including ice cream; and snack foods such as cookies, cakes and soft drinks. Recipients can also use SNAP benefits to buy plants and seeds to grow food for the household, but not (for example) non-edible flowers.

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products cannot be bought with SNAP benefits, nor can nutritional supplements, medicines or pet food. Foods that are sold hot (think rotisserie chickens or ready-to-eat soups) aren’t eligible either, nor are household goods such as paper towels, cleaning products and toiletries. Gasoline isn’t eligible either.

Where can people use food stamps? Where do they use them most frequently?

More than 254,000 establishments accepted SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2021, but two types stand out: Supermarkets and “superstores” such as Walmart and Target together make up about 15% of SNAP-accepting establishments, but they accounted for nearly 80% of all redemptions.

By comparison, more than 44% of all SNAP-accepting establishments are convenience stores, but they accounted for only about 5% of redemptions in 2021. Notably, while only 89 internet retailers, such as Amazon, were authorized to accept SNAP benefits that year, they accounted for nearly 4% of redemptions.

How much does the federal government spend on food stamps each year?

In fiscal 2022, the government spent $119.4 billion on SNAP. Some $113.9 billion went to benefits while $5.5 billion went to administrative and other expenses. Through the first seven months of fiscal 2023 – that is, October 2022 through April 2023 – the government spent almost $70 billion on benefits alone, 2.8% more than during the corresponding period in fiscal 2022.

SNAP is one of the largest federal social welfare programs in terms of cost. For comparison, in fiscal 2022, the federal government spent $747.2 billion on Medicare, $591.9 billion on Medicaid, $161.2 billion on veterans’ benefits, $58.8 billion on Supplemental Security Income and $33.1 billion on unemployment compensation.

How has the cost of the food stamp program changed over time?

SNAP is an  entitlement program , which means spending on it rises and falls based primarily on how many people qualify for benefits (but also through changes in its authorizing legislation). Adjusted for inflation, annual spending on SNAP followed a regular pattern from the late 1970s to 2008: It fell to around $30 billion a year during strong economic times and rose during and immediately after recessions ­– at times reaching $50 billion.

The Great Recession changed that pattern, perhaps permanently. Spending on SNAP jumped as the economy sank, but it kept rising even as the “recovery” began, topping out at about $103 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars in fiscal 2013. Spending on the program then fell slowly, until the COVID-19 pandemic upended the U.S. economy. SNAP spending soared from $91.8 billion in fiscal 2020 to $127.6 billion in fiscal 2021, and fell back only slightly last year.

Why are they called “food stamps,” anyway?

The  precursor to the modern SNAP program , which began in 1939 and ran until 1943, did use actual stamps. Besides feeding the hungry, the program was designed to aid farmers struggling with surplus crops they couldn’t sell profitably.

People receiving public assistance could buy orange stamps that were exchangeable, dollar for dollar, for most food items at grocery stores. For every dollar participants spent on orange stamps, they also received 50 cents’ worth of blue stamps, which could be spent only on USDA-designated surplus commodities such as beans, eggs, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Over the program’s lifespan, approximately 20 million people received food stamps at one time or another, at a total cost of $262 million.

The U.S. entry into World War II put an end to the first food stamp program, as the war effort absorbed both farm and labor surpluses. But the concept stuck in people’s heads, and when it was revived in 1964 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty,” it was formally named the Food Stamp Program. But instead of stamps, beneficiaries purchased multicolored “food coupons” that could be used much like cash. The purchase requirement was eliminated in 1977, benefits began to be widely delivered by debit card in the 1990s, and by 2004 the paper coupons had gone the way of the blue and orange stamps. The program was renamed SNAP in 2008.

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Don't say yes when caller asks 'Can you hear me now?'

Is someone asking "Can you hear me?" on the phone when you pick up? If so, hang up. It could be a scam.

The "Can you hear me" scam has been targeting consumers for quite a few years. It's unclear exactly how the scam might play out, but consumer advocates, including the Better Business Bureau, say it's better to hang up and not engage.

What's the danger of the can you hear me scam?

It's likely the scammers are trying to get you to say "yes" or record your voice, which can then be used or edited to make it seem like you authorized something that you didn't, according to a scam alert from the BBB.

The BBB said it continues to receive reports to its Scam Tracker, the organization's tool that keeps an eye on reported scams across the country.

Usually, the caller will hang up immediately after you respond to the question "Can you hear me?," the alert said. However, some consumers report that the calls can also be about banking, vacation packages, warranties and Medicare cards, the BBB said. The callers may be impersonating a business like your bank or another financial institution, a government agency, or an insurance company, the agency said.

“We encourage people to report this and other scams to BBB’s Scam Tracker," BBB spokeswoman Melanie McGovern told USA TODAY. "It helps to warn others that this activity is happening again. If you get a call, simply hang up without saying anything."

The BBB said that so far, no reports in the Scam Tracker mention monetary loss, though the agency is unsure if any victims have reported losses to other authorities. "However, it’s unclear how the scams will play out over time or if the targets will be victimized later," the BBB said. 

How does the can you hear me scam work?

Here's how the scam works: You get a call from someone who quickly asks, “Can you hear me?” They want you to answer “Yes,” which you'd likely do instinctively, the BBB said.

The call might even be awkward or the person on the other line may say they're having trouble with their headset or that they'll call you back, "but in fact, the 'person' may be a robocall recording your conversation, and that 'Yes' answer you gave could later be edited to make it sound like you authorized a major purchase," the BBB said in its alert.

That yes could also confirm the scammer got a real working number, which could mean further targeting for scams, the BBB said.. The FCC in February issued a ruling making  artificial intelligence-generated voices in robocalls illegal. Still other variations of the scam, the BBB, said, may include asking "Is this (fill in your name)" or another question, which would prompt a yes from you. The caller may not hang up right away either and may continue the conversation to attempt to steal your personal information or record more of your voice," the BBB said.

Beware: Pharmacist and her license were targeted by scammers. How to avoid becoming a victim.

What should I do?

Here are some tips from the BBB:

◾ Use Caller ID to screen calls and consider not answering numbers you don't know). If it's urgent, they'll call you back, the BBB said. The BBB suggests reading the FCC’s article on how to stop unwanted robocalls and texts.

◾ Just hang up.  Scammers will change their methods as the public catches on, the BBB said, so be on the lookout for other questions designed to get you to say "yes," the BBB said.

◾ Make a note of the number  and report it to  BBB.org/ScamTracker  to alert others. The BBB said it shares Scam Tracker information with government and law enforcement agencies, so all information is helpful.

◾ Join the Do Not Call Registry   (DoNotCall.gov) to limit telemarketing and sales calls. This might not cut down on scam calls, since they don't pay attention to the law, but it will cut down on your overall calls, the BBB said.

◾ Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for charges you didn't make. Also, review your telephone and cellphone bills, the BBB said. Scammers could use your "yes" to authorize charges you didn't really OK, the BBB said. "This is called 'cramming,' and it’s illegal. If you’re worried, notify your bank and credit card company. They may be able to put an alert on your accounts for unauthorized transactions or freeze your credit cards temporarily," the BBB said.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @blinfisher . Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.

Watch CBS News

Stamp prices poised to rise again, for the 2nd time this year

By Kate Gibson

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

April 10, 2024 / 10:19 AM EDT / CBS News

When it comes to stamps, the word "forever" on first-class mail doesn't apply to prices.

The U.S. Postal Service is signaling that the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp will increase to 73 cents on July 14, 2024, up by a nickel from the 68 cents one currently costs. 

When first introduced in 2007, a Forever stamp was 41 cents. The stamps were named as such so one knew they could use the stamp "forever," regardless of when it was purchased. 

The latest proposed changes — to be reviewed and approved by the governors of the Postal Service — also include a nickel hike to the price to mail a 1-ounce metered letter, to 69 cents, the postal service said Tuesday in a news release .

Mailing a postcard domestically will run you 56 cents, a 3-cent increase, while the price of mailing postcards and letters internationally are both rising by a dime to $1.65. 

All told, the proposed changes represent a roughly 7.8% increase in the price of sending mail through the agency. 

Notably, the price of renting a Post Office Box is not going up, and USPS will reduce the cost of postal insurance 10% when mailing an item, it said. 

The cost of Forever stamps rose to 68 cents in January,  from 66 cents .

The increases, part of the Postal Service's 10-year plan toward profitability, are hurting mail volume and USPS' bottom line, according to Keep US Posted, a nonprofit advocacy group of consumers, nonprofits, newspapers, greeting card publishers, magazines and catalogs.

The group called for the proposed increases to be rejected and for Congress to take a closer look at the Postal Service's operations, citing findings by NDP Analytics in March.

"If rate increases continue to proceed at this frequency and magnitude without critical review, it risks plummeting volume further and exacerbating USPS's financial challenges," according to the report commissioned by the Greeting Card Association and Association for Postal Commerce.

USPS in November  reported a $6.5 billion loss for fiscal 2023, and is projecting a $6.3 billion deficit in 2024.

Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York.

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