- Report: #789090
Complaint Review: American Philatelic Society - Bellefonte Pennsylvania
Reported By:
OldTimeMarty -
, Delaware, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
American Philatelic Society
100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania Bellefonte, 16823 Pennsylvania, United States of America
Phone:
8149333803
Web:
http://www.stamps.org/
Categories:
Business Rating:
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American Philatelic Society APS, APRL Corrupt, Tax Evading, Avoid This Company! Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
I was hesitant to file this report until I read the American Philatelic Society response to the party who filed the original complaint against them. American Philatelic Society is making it look like they are squeaky clean. Far from it, this organization that I was a member of for forty years and one of their referred appraisers and buyer is guilty of deception, fraud, intimidation to sellers and tax evasion among just a few nasties to mention. One of their past Presidents was involved in a major scandal and resigned over the pilfering of a famous Canal Zone stamp collection. In the previous complaint the lady in question complains of being offered only 25% of what a non member offered her. I never paid more that 10% of true cash value and in a forty year span purchased two million dollars in stamp collections from unsuspecting sellers generating twenty million dollars in sales. Of this amount I returned in the form of cash two million dollars to "certain American Philatelic Society officers" These funds were delivered four times a year in a sealed envelope and it is dubious any taxes were ever paid. It's time the public found out just how corrupt this organization really is/was. I am no longer active and perhaps the current administration has changed their ways. I doubt it as Tammany Hall never changes any more that the Congress members. The "estate advisor" refers a caller who wants to sell his/her inherited collection to an APS member-dealer in an area close to the seller.
In the complaint recently filed against APS the two dealers who low balled the lady are members of American Philatelic Society. While it is true APS does not directly purchase stamp collections I was one of the appraiser-buyers that the so called estate advisor referred as described above. For those "lucky readers" who are now forewarned make sure you contact a non American Philatelic Society dealer and if you are a die in the woods member who does not believe me at least get one outside offer or contact a good auction house. And, for those who were stupid enough to paste death sticker contact information, do yourself a big favor and remove the labels.
In the complaint recently filed against APS the two dealers who low balled the lady are members of American Philatelic Society. While it is true APS does not directly purchase stamp collections I was one of the appraiser-buyers that the so called estate advisor referred as described above. For those "lucky readers" who are now forewarned make sure you contact a non American Philatelic Society dealer and if you are a die in the woods member who does not believe me at least get one outside offer or contact a good auction house. And, for those who were stupid enough to paste death sticker contact information, do yourself a big favor and remove the labels.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jesse Burnside
New York,New York,
United States of America
Former APS member
#2Consumer Comment
Thu, December 15, 2011
As a former member but not one of their official appraisers I encountered all of the above original complaint. Whenever I was called to appraise a stamp collection that had already been looked at by an APS appraiser I found the APS appraiser was very low sometimes 25% of what I might offer, usually in my area about half of what we dealers call "low wholesale." When I would get a call from the estate or the actual collector it was always good news as 100% of the time I could appear to the seller as mana from heaven as my offer was so much higher. The seller wheather the actual collector or estate were quite bitter relative to the official appraiser from APS. Many commented to me about the famous "death stickers" where APS had mailed out pre printed labels stating "upon my demise please contact the American Philatelic Society to help dispose of the collection." One man was so angry he called APS while I was present and yelled at them about the APS party who had offered about 25% of what my offer was. He resigned from them on the spot! At a point in time I was contacted by a Mr. James Davoss then President of APS and asked not to respond to anyone who called who was an APS member seller. I refused and shortly after was suspended from APS! I learned later that this DaVoss himself resigned over some scandal involving stamps of the Canal Zone. For those out there who have valuable collections stay away from this organizayion, you will be "ripped off."
