The American Philatelic Society (APS) is warning its members about a new scam targeting its affiliates, clubs and societies.
According to the APS, the scammer is sending an email similar to this: “I need you to take care of a vendor payment for me. I will provide you with the Vendor’s information you need in making the payment. Let me know when you are ready to proceed. I will appreciate swift response.”
The email is often signed with the name of an APS officer. According to the society, this information is likely collected from a website. The email appears to be sent from a Gmail address similar to chapterrpresident@gmail.com; however, it’s likely the scammer will change this email frequently.
Any similar emails should be verified with the person sending it. Do not reply to a suspicious email; instead, phone or contact the individual with a new email thread using an email address you know is legitimate.
If you cannot confirm the legitimacy of a suspicious email, do the following:
- forward the email to kpmartin@stamps.org so the APS can track the scam;
- delete the original email from your system; and
- add the sender to your list of blocked senders as well as your spam filter.
SCAM SEASON
As the date approaches for the joint APS StampShow/National Topical Stamp Show, the possibility for new scams arise.
Each year, the APS sees unscrupulous groups attempt to contact members and affiliates claiming to be “official” representatives of the APS. This most often relates to hotel and travel arrangements. The APS does not share its members’ information with any such businesses, and there are no designated or authorized travel agencies for StampShow. The only source of hotel information is the APS website, stamps.org/StampShow-SS.
If you are contacted by anyone claiming to be an official travel company for StampShow, the APS strongly recommends hanging up the phone or deleting the email.