American Philatelic Society
Privacy Policy
revised January 10, 2008

The privacy practices of this statement apply to our services available under the domains and subdomains of www.stamps.org, www.stamplibrary.org, www.stampstore.org, and www.stampcampus.org. By visiting this website you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use or access our Site(s).

By accepting the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use in accessing the services provided, you expressly consent to our use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

In general, you can browse our Site(s) without telling us who you are or revealing any personal information about yourself. Once you give us your personal information, however, you are not anonymous to us. If you choose to use our services, you may be required to provide contact and identity information, including your APS membership number, billing information, shipping information, financial information, including credit card information and tracking information from checks and money orders and other personal information as indicated on the forms on the Sites. You may have registered your email address with us. If you choose to buy or sell on the Site, we may collect information about your submissions and your buying and selling activity. If you send us personal correspondence, such as emails or letters, or if other users or third parties send us correspondence about your activities or postings on the Sites, we may collect such information into a file specific to you.

We use your information to provide the service(s) to you and bill you. We can also use your information to verify the accuracy of the information provided and verify your membership and your eligibility to use the Site's services, resolve disputes, ensure your compliance with the Society's Code of Ethics, protect the philatelic community from the breach of our Code of Ethics by others, collect fees owed, troubleshoot problems, customize your experience, inform you about offers, products, and services, and better serve you and our other members. You agree that we may use your information for these purposes.

We may track certain information based upon your behavior on the Site(s). This information can be used to do internal research on our users' demographics, interests, and behavior to better understand, protect, and serve you and the philatelic community. This information may include the URL that you just came from, which URL you next go to, your computer browser information, and your IP address.

We may use data collection devices such as "cookies" on certain pages of the Site(s) to help analyze our web page flow, measure promotional effectiveness, or to promote trust and safety. "Cookies" are small files placed on your hard drive that assist us in providing our services. We offer certain features that are only available through the use of a "cookie". We also use cookies to allow you to enter your membership number less frequently during a session.

Society members may verify the membership status of any person by calling 814-933-3803 or writing the APS, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823. The Society provides current mailing addresses of specific individuals upon the written request of any member in good standing. If a member has requested that his or her address not be so released, the Society will forward to the member, on behalf of the requester, a pre-stamped, sealed letter that he or she provided to us for the purpose. The Society likewise will forward nonmembers' pre-stamped, sealed letters to members. No address information will be released directly to nonmembers. The Society’s policy prohibits the release of members’ phone numbers and email addresses to third parties, other than to the Society’s providers, as needed, who agree to hold such information confidential.

APS affiliated philatelic organizations and dealer members sometimes ask to use the Society’s mailing lists to offer members philatelic products or services. While your Society is conservative in releasing member’s names and addresses, the APS does permit use of portions of its mailing lists when, in the opinion of the Society, the products or services offered may be of benefit to the members. If a member prefers not to receive such mailings and sends us a written request to that effect, we will code that members record so that his or her address is not released. The member's address will still be used by the Society, including its use to send the member The American Philatelist and official correspondence of the Society.

All APS mailing lists are considered proprietary information and are provided solely for the one-time use of the APS member to whom the list is rented. Mailing lists are provided for philatelic offers only and the Society reserves the right of review and approval on all mailing pieces. The APS Board of Directors has voted to prohibit the rental of APS mailing lists to anyone using the lists to send unsolicited approvals.

Any member in good standing who wishes to start a local stamp club in his or her area may obtain the names and addresses of other APS members who live in the same or nearby ZIP Code areas, except members who have asked that their addresses not be released.

For a nominal fee, established APS Chapters may purchase lists of Society members who live in the areas they serve, except members who have asked that their addresses not be revealed.
The APS will cooperate with law enforcement inquiries, investigations, and requests and disclose any information that is needed to satisfy any law, regulation or legal request or assist in any investigation of a law enforcement agency.

The APS offers links to other sites. If you visit one of these linked sites, you should review that organization's privacy policy and other policies. The APS is not responsible for the content or policies of other organizations, and cannot protect information you provide directly to a linked site. Neither can the APS protect you from unlawful interception by third parties.

We reserve the right to amend or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Therefore, it may be necessary to check periodically for an updated policy. All amended terms are automatically effective once they are posted on our Site(s).

Please also read our Terms of Use.