Offices

OFFICES

29 of the 40 offices have representative Types of Mexico. Stated in this manner because the district names and numbers have nothing to do with the frauds, as most were sold and used in Mexico City, Veracruz, Puebla and a few other offices.

In the normal postal system, stamps were sent to the offices with the district numbers and the date imprinted, but were without a district name. It was part of the Postal Administrations procedures to keep stamps from falling into the hands of the bandits that roamed the countryside looking for any opportunity to rob even a mail train. Once the stamps were received at the office the office then affixed their office name, thereby validating the stamp to be placed on mail. Without the office name the stamps were considered invalid as postage.

When the postal forgers produced their product they were aware of this policy and saw to it that a convenient district name was so imprinted on the face. Although the district names were in a different font, and one that was easy to identify once that fact was known, each had valid numbers and district name overprints.

Although it was probably intended that the stamps be used in the offices where the names were imprinted, they were in fact used practically anywhere. It was not uncommon for stamps with CHIHUAHUA names affixed to the face to be used in Mexico City. Ditto the other names and offices. Unknown to the Postal Administration, this lackadaisical approach is what opened the door for the postal forgers. The forgers could create stamps with virtually any office name, and sell them for use in virtually any city. The fact that most of the postal forgeries ended up being used in Mexico City is due to the fact that Mexico City was Mexico's commercial capital as well as it being Mexico's capital in fact.

It turns out that about 85% of the postal frauds that were used, were used in Mexico City. And for the 15% balance, most were used in Veracruz, Puebla, Guanajuato, S. L. Potosi, Queretaro and Tampico. Other cities where postal forgeries are reported to have been used are Jalapa, Zacatecas, Guadalajara and Aguascalientes. There may indeed have been other cities where it will ultimately be proved that tipos were used.