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Unsolicited
Approvals
APS
Standing Resolution 3.10 discourages the sending of unsolicited
approvals through the mail and specifies that any attempt to coerce
payment for them exerted by the sender may be considered unethical
conduct. Although the Federal Trade Commission and the legislatures
of many states have declared the mailing of unsolicited approvals
to be an undesirable practice, it may not be illegal. The Society
will not provide its mailing lists to any firm that intends to use
such lists to send unsolicited approvals.
Although recipients
of unsolicited merchandise have no obligation either to account
for or return it, the APS realizes that stamp collecting is a friendly
hobby and that many avid collectors were first introduced through
approvals. For that reason, the Society recommends that even unsolicited
material be returned.
If
you receive unwanted, unsolicited approvals, we recommend that you
follow this procedure:
- Be certain
that you have not agreed indirectly to the sending. Frequently,
collectors miss the notice in a dealer's advertisement which states
that when an order is placed, approvals will be sent. If you answer
such an ad and do not specify that approvals are not wanted, you
actually may have requested them and are responsible for their
proper return to the dealer.
- If unsolicited
approvals are received without return postage, we suggest that
you send the lot, with all enclosures, to the APS, with a letter
indicating you did not request them. The Society will write to
the sender of the approvals, outlining the APS position on unsolicited
approvals, and request that the sender remove your name from their
mailing list.
- If you receive
unsolicited approvals and return postage is enclosed, return them
with a request to stop future sendings. In this situation, return
the entire mailing piece because it may contain a customer code
number that will allow the sender to process your request more
effectively. If you want proof that you returned the approvals,
purchase a proof of mailing receipt at the time of mailing.
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