Unsolicited Approvals

Three weeks ago I responded to a classified Linn's ad for pricelists of a collecting area, the ad said nothing about approvals. Today I got the price lists and also an invoice for an approval selection for nearly $60. There were NO stamps sent with the invoice. I have replied to this guy (by mail, he apparently has no internet connection) explaining that I do not want approvals and that he didn't send any anyway.

This reminds me of the stories I used to hear 30 years ago or so where crooked dealers did this this stuff and harassed people for payment for stuff they never sent. I don't know if I can mention his name so I won't. BTW the invoice was dated May 30- even that was incorrect.

I think I have a good idea of my rights here and am not worried about ramifications but if this has happened to anyone else let me know how you handled it. If he gets pushy on it I think maybe a complaint to Linn's might be a good start..

It might just be a mistake, sent in the wrong envelope. Have you tried to contact the dealer?

First you have no clue what is going on or at least we do not. Was the price list from the same dealer? Did he mistakenly combine the papers. What was in the small print if any on the add?

There is no issue naming the dealer many in the past have named such dealers.

So with such brief information you may or may not be getting excited.

Until you have better info I wouldn't get to excited yet.

BTW - Is there a phone number to call?

No fine print re approvals on the ad- he uses the classifieds. No phone number or email address so I have a letter to him going out tomorrow. My cost for postage of course.
Dealer is Talbot Fuerst in Coral Springs FL. He has been a Linn's advertiser for many years. I think my note will put an end to this but it is a little unnerving.
I get the feeling he may be elderly. No problem with that but it may be that he is slowing down and perhaps is not keeping track of things.
Back when I was a kid in the 50's I got approvals from H.E. Harris- my last selection was the same deal, a bunch of empty glassines with a bill. My parents had to wind up answering a letter from a lawyer- it nearly ended my collecting. Probably it was just a mistake on their part but I have never cared for that company since..

Talbot A. Fuerst
P.O. Box 8896
Coral Springs FL 33075
tafuerst@bellsouth.net

(954) 345-7577

is this him?

mkfarm- that's him! Thanks for the email it will make things easier to resolve.
I never thought to check and see if he belongs to the APS, was that where you got this or did you just unearth with a Google search? In amy case I will shoot san email off to him this evening.

Reply from him today:

'In answer to your letter we apologize for the misunderstanding. There was no material sent, it was only a written offer.

Best regards'

Well, no that is not how it appeared, there was an invoice that referred to approvals 'enclosed'. Be that as it may, it has been apparently resolved so thanks to those who helped.

That's good. Even though it gets tougher all the time in today's world, I like to try to not assume the worst out of people. Hopefully you and he can get past this and progress with your collecting interests :)

In the United States, if you receive ANYTHING in the mail which you did not request, you can consider it a gift and have no obligation to pay for it, regardless of what the sender may stipulate. This also applies to philatelic material. I agree it is just common courtesy to try and resolve with the sender. As indicated in these responses, there are any number of possible reasons.