American Philatelic Society Warns Public of Fraudulent Online Store

The American Philatelic Society, a trusted name in the stamp collecting community, is issuing a warning to the public about a rogue online store, www.superstampcenter.com, that is engaging in fraudulent activities. This website has been found to be cloning the online stores and product descriptions of legitimate businesses, including the APS Stamp Store, other reputable sellers on HipStamp, and eBay.

Fraudulent Activities Identified:

• Cloning of Online Stores The rogue website has copied the layout, design, and content of legitimate online stamp stores.

• Fake Product Listings They are posting products they do not possess, using descriptions and images from authentic sellers.

• Discounted Prices These fraudulent items are often listed at significantly discounted prices to lure unsuspecting buyers.

• Impact on Consumers Customers who purchase from this fraudulent site risk receiving counterfeit products or no products at all, leading to financial loss and disappointment. We urge the public to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of online stores before making any purchases.

Steps to Protect Yourself

1. Verify Website Authenticity Check the URL and ensure it matches the official website of the seller.

2. Inspect the Business Operators Check the business organization pages of the website to see if it seems a legitimate business. Such website pages might include the following: about, contact, customer service, returns, and shipping.

3. Look for Reviews Search for reviews and feedback from other customers.

4. Contact the Seller Reach out to the seller directly through verified contact information.

5. Report Suspicious Activity If you encounter a suspicious website, report it to the relevant authorities.

The American Philatelic Society is a leading authority in the stamp collecting community. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in the philatelic marketplace.

Contact

Kent Ball, Director of Product

American Philatelic Society

100 Match Factory Place

Bellefonte, PA 16823, USA

Phone: 814-933-3803

kball@stamps.org

STAMPA 2024 reviewed

The annual National Stamp Exhibition recently took place in Griffith College, South Circular Road, Dublin,  11th - 13th October, and once again we should congratulate Brian Warren, Chairman of STAMPA, and his team for a very well organized and run show. 

The show was well attended by both exhibitors, participants, dealers, An Post  and visitors with over thirty exhibits representing philatelists from Ireland, Germany, the UK, and the USA. 

There were many deserving winners of medals and trophies for a very wide -ranging collection of competitive exhibits, and members of the Dublin Stamp Society (DSS) did particularly well on the day (see listing below of DSS winners). 

It is interesting to note that only six women have ever won the David Feldman Trophy for the best overall multi-frame exhibit since the Trophy was first introduced in 1976. The first was Norah Wright followed by two Americans who submitted postal history material, and H. Mitchell, a DSS member,  is the first and only woman to have won it on two occasions, in 2006 and 2024, on both occasions with Open Philately entries. 

The STAMPA event hosted an enjoyable Awards Dinner in Wynns Hotel sponsored by David Feldman SA, on the Saturday night at which the winners of each particular category were announced and their prizes duly awarded. The Chairman welcomed the many guests, both local and from Northern Ireland, the UK, Germany and the USA. 

A special presentation was also made to recently-retired Stephen Ferguson of An Post of the Federation of Philatelic Societies of Ireland (FPSI) Medal for his services to Irish Philately. 

Members of the DSS successfully winning  awards were as follows ;- 

Irish Architecture Definitives                  B. Harmon 

Gold Medal, Irish Security Stamp Printing Ltd Trophy, Michael Murphy Memorial Trophy, and the Éire Philatelic Association Certificate. 

Maréchal Soult, My great, great, great Grandfather                   H. Mitchell 

Large Gold Medal, Michael Giffney Salver, David Feldman Trophy   

Dublin, Capital City, steeped in History, Tragic, Glorious Memories   G. Byrne 

Silver Medal 

POSTCARDS - Princess Clementine of Belgium          C. Barlow 

Vermeil  Medal 

Kingstown / Dún Laoghaire – My home town           B. Warren 

Gold Medal, Cork Philatelic Society Trophy, Éire Philatelic Assoc. Cert. 

Reichspost – Adolph Hitler Definitives & Postal Stationery 1941-45          A. Farrell 

Large Silver Medal 

The 1979 Postal Strike          B. Harmon 

Large Vermeil Medal 

A Legacy of King Henry VII                C. McDonagh 

Cert. of Participation 

National Heroes                   P. Tattersall 

Gwyn Bennett Trophy 

Further details of the STAMPA 2024 show can be found at “www.stampa.com"