Michael Dubasso (American Philatelic Foundation) Other individual that works for Michael Dubasso that was supposedly helping me Several Valuable Stamp Albums Lost To This Individual From An Appraisal, Their Has Been No Contact Back To Me For Several Months Now, Los Angeles, California

After taking a look at the website throughly and it appearing as an almost government based website with the American Flag as the Top Margin and reading all of the appraisal section specifically the section "Reasons To Always have a professional Appraisal Done" I decided to send my stamp collection to The American Philatelic Foundation(APF).  I contacted (APF) through the website address ;  mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com   on June 26 2012 at  2:28 pm the email as follows and just verify my nickname is Dell of which I go by my full name is Virgil Odell ****

From: Dell ****
[mailto:(((redacted)))] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 2:28 PM
To: mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com
Subject: Re: Stamp collection appraisal
 
 HELLO MR. DUBASSO,
      
      MY NAME IS VIRGIL **** I HAVE MY GRANDFATHERS AND MOTHERS STAMP COLLECTION  FROM THE TIME OF THE RED PENNY TO 1997. MY GRANDFATHER ATTENDED SEVERAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITIONS. I HAVE FIVE ALBUMS , TWO ARE U.S. AND THE OTHER THREE ARE  FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD . I ALSO HAVE MANY, MANY BLOCKS OF STAMPS IN TRANSLUCENT ENVELOPES THAT ARE MINT CONDITION FROM 1932-1954 U.S.  AND SEVERAL ENVELOPES FULL OF STAMPS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FROM THE 19TH CENTURY UP . I AM NOT PHILATELY BUT I HAVE SEEN ONLINE AUCTIONS SELLING VERY EXPENSIVE STAMPS THAT I THINK I HAVE AND OTHER ONES  I KNOW I HAVE, AND MINE ARE IN BETTER CONDITION. SO FAR I HAVE APPRAISED $7,000 AND UP FOR THE U.S. ? AND IT COULD BE CONSIDERABLE MORE BUT I AM NOT SURE BECAUSE SCOTT'S DOES NOT ALWAYS GIVE YOU THE VALUE FOR BLOCKS OF STAMPS. I DID NOT GET TO FINISH THE FOREIGN STAMPS BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE THE FIRST TWO CATALOGS GOING TO F BUT I WAS AT ABOUT $5000. I DID READ YOUR WEBPAGE ABOUT HOW SCOTT'S MARKS UP THE VAULE EVERY YEAR AND THE MISTAKEN IDENTITIES OF STAMPS BEING A COMMON THING FOR ONE TO BELIEVE HIS STAMP ARE OF MORE VALUE. ALL I CAN SAY TO THAT IS I CAN NOT KNOW AS IT IS NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE BUT LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PARAGRAPH MY GRANDFATHER ATTENDED MANY PHILATELIC EXHIBITION AND MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PHILATELIST HIMSELF AND OF COURSE I CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION FOR YOUR APPRAISALS.
    
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND BEST REGARDS,
VIRGIL ****
 
 and I was replied to that same day at 5:54pm by the assistant director Michael Dean Smith. The email as follows From: Michael Dubasso 

<Mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com>
To: 'Dell ****' <(((redacted)))> 
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 5:54 PM
Subject: RE: Stamp collection appraisal
 
AMERICAN PHILATELIC FOUNDATION
A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION
1337 CORDELL PLACE LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA 90069
PHONE 310 275 3256                                   
FAX 310 275 5010
jmav@earthlink.net
 
Dear Virgil, these old collections sometimes turn up rarities, from your description it sounds like your collection could be valuable. Here at The American Philatelic Foundation we strive to do appraisals that reflect actual cash value. Most dealers make their money by rarely informing the public what their stamp collection is worth. I have tried unsuccessfully to both educate the dealers to be fair with the public and have in the past recommended certain dealers over the years (geographically of course) and all to no avail. I find for the most part the public is just ripped off.  After forty years our Board has decided we will do these appraisals at our cost (time wise) and help sell the collection if feasible and with your approval.

Stamp collections come in many varied ways, hobby, hobby plus a small investment to grade it a hobby plus collection and then of course the valuable collection. Valuable collections are formed not with thousands of stamps in some cases tens of thousands of stamps and occasionally over a fifty-year period one hundred thousand or more painstakingly collected. These huge collections or smaller may take a lifetime to form but in reality have little value when looking at single stamps. These collections to the heir or novice can look very valuable especially when 19th century stamps are present. However when it comes to cashing in to coin a phrase only those single stamps that the collector paid hundreds or thousands of dollars for are meaningful.

Keep in mind in the 1950s to nearly the present you can purchase a large collection of different stamps (50,000) for about $100! Most issues were printed in the millions and after the 1950s even in higher printings cancelled to order for dealers upon request. I have in the past found very valuable stamps in small collections and that is why I always suggest making the modest donation to review your collection on the chance you have one or another rarity that does come forth now and then. I always keep in mind the great discovery a young man made many years ago in just such a collections as yours. It was a stamp printed in British Guiana and today worth probably ten million dollars!

COST OF APPRAISAL
If you feel your collection is valuable either myself or an associate can come to you. This can be expensive but merited if the collection is valuable. I usually spend one full day viewing but it usually takes three days to first fly out to you, appraise on the second day and fly back on the third day. Cost is $1500 paid in advance. Unlike any other organization or retail dealer no one has our expertise and we are the only organization that will not try and buy your collection just tell you honestly what it is worth. Our 501/3C IRS nonprofit Foundation is precluded from directly purchasing your collection. There are no expenses if I can drive to you within 100 miles except the one day appraisal fee ($250). On many occasions I will send Mr. George Eveleth of Spink stamp auctions to see you. Google Spink Stamp Auctions. I have known Mr. Eveleth and his very fine auction firm for over 30 years! His expertise is as fine as my own and his reputation is impeccable. Mr. Eveleth can be contacted at 410 852 8375 should you have any questions.

OR
You can actually send the collection or photo it to a disc. A donation of $250** is appreciated. Please do not ship your collection without a donation. I spend up to 6/8 hours reviewing the average collection on behalf of APF.  Just send your collection or digital pictures to us by using UPS or FedEx or registered mail to APF Appraisal Center 1337 Cordell Place L.A. CA 90069. If you have any question please call my private office 310 275 3256.

Michael Dean Smith/Principal Appraiser-Assistant Director APF
 
A NEW DEFINITIVE BOOK ILLUSTRATING BETTER STAMPS
In my newly edited book Stamp Collecting Everything You Want To Know I have inserted a photo section illustrating what better stamps look like so you can review your collection and compare the stamps in your collection to the illustrated stamps to see if you have rare or better stamps. I can send the book to you, just send us your check in the amount of $23 (includes postage) or order online at Amazaon.com- type in DuBasso.
 
* New policy for 2011: For those who might have a problem with your donation and based on your collection having only hobby value once I personally have reviewed it, I will waive the donation if the collection has a value under $250 if you kindly consider donating it to APF and in turn it will go to our Veterans Hospitals. A typical collection with a cash value of $250 has a catalog retail value of $1000 which can be used on your tax return as a charitable contribution.
  
** All donations received are used to acquire stamp collections which in turn are given to numerous Veteran Administration Hospitals that have stamp collecting clubs. Our Iraq & Afghanistan veterans are happy to have these donations. Disney stamp collections are formed by us and given to many Make a Wish Foundations throughout America. No donations of money are used for anything else.

Thank you for your interest/ 
Michael Dean Smith assistant Director
  
June 27 the very next day at 12:15pm  I replied back

From: Dell **** [mailto:(((redacted)))] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 12:15 PM
To: Michael Dubasso
Subject: Re: Stamp collection appraisal
 
   Thank you for the quick reply Mr. Dubasso, I sent the collection to the address listed, how would you like me to pay for the appraisal? should I call with a credit number or mail a check? I was wondering though to if it might be possible if some of the stamps could pay for the appraisal as I am positive their are some that will equal the value of $250.00. Also please when taking a look at the collection to go through every page and look in-between the places where the pages fold as they are some that were not placed and are lose. Also to add their is a certain stamp that I thought might be of interest as I noticed a raised impression as if to say it looked like braille on a bank check stamp that said "wholesale" and had several numbers and letters on it and said something else on it but I could not tell, it is in the 1862-71 First Revenue section Bank Check 2C orange, and their is also 1/2 cent full sheet 100 stamps to be exact in mint condition with the numbers etc; these might not be worth anything but brought my attention as did many others but just some to list.The main part of the value of the collection is in the 5 albums and the envelopes in the shoe box. I basically packed everything even ones I know are not worth that much but they are a couple of packets that have miscellaneous stamps of everything going from old to new so I could be mistaken.
 
  Thank you for your time and best regards,
  Virgil  

I was replied to back that same day at 3:48 pm , with the following

From: Michael Dubasso <Mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com>
To: 'Dell ****' <(((redacted)))> 
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 3:48 PM
Subject: RE: Stamp collection appraisal

Hi Virgil; sure go ahead and end without donation.

I sent the Stamp collection UPS  in it's entirety, (5 albums to be exact ) the day of Wednesday June 27th 2012 , there phone number is (336)703-0035 and come to find out today when I called UPS to get that information I was informed that the resident of the (APF) appraisal center 1337 Cordell Place Los Angeles, CA 90069 , 310-275-3256 is residential not even a place of business and then on July 10th at 9:45 am  I emailed them again to see if they had received the stamp collection , email as follows

From: Dell **** [mailto:((((redacted)))] 
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 9:45 AM
To: Michael Dubasso
Subject: Re: Stamp collection appraisal
 
Hello Mr. Dubasso just wanted to know if you have received the collections I sent.
 
    Virgil ****
 
They replied back that same day at 1:14pm , with the following

From: Michael Dubasso <Mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com>
To: 'Dell ****' <(((redacted)))> 
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 1:14 PM
Subject: RE: Stamp collection appraisal

Hi Virgil; yes, received last week; collection is 99% hobby with a few better items. The half cent orange Franklin is common/printed one hundred million of these. US collection in green album has many defective stamps, the revenues are all common issues; best stamps a few better German States classics, will send you an appraisal later this week,  Michael Dean Smith
 
I replied back same day with "Ok Thanks"

Then after two weeks had passed on July 25th I emailed again as I had not eard anything from them , the email as follows

From: Dell **** <(((redacted)))>
To: Michael Dubasso <Mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: Stamp collection appraisal

Just wanted to see how things were going?

 No reply that day so then I started to wonder if this was a legitimate site and so I googled " complaints about Michael Dubasso and this is what came up a nightmare 

http://www.ripoffreport.com/non-profit-charities/michael-dubasso/michael-dubasso-american-phila-8ff95.htm

Basically describing what is happening to me now with my collection and this guy is taking him to court for the second time and through this website is how I found out about ic3.gov and came here. Luckily I had taken pictures with my finger in them beside the stamps I thought maybe had a tremendous value to them before I sent off the collection. So on the July 27th I sent (APF) the same email address , another email as follows 

From: Dell **** <(((redacted)))>
To: Michael Dubasso <Mdubasso@americanphilatelic.com> 
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2012 2:59 AM
Subject: Re: Stamp collection appraisal

Hey Mr. Dubasso I know you said for the most part that the stamp albums that I sent to you were a hobby other than some German stamps and also the obvious ones that are worth value from the Scott's Catalog's. Anyway now I wish I had not wasted hours upon hours which felt more like days taken shots of each individual stamp; oh what a waste of time, orginally I was going to send them via email but decided for a more critical view, anyway I am sending pictures of the stamps that I thought were interesting and maybe you have already looked at them ,attached files  I can send to ic3.gov just let me know

Then on August 1st , 12:36pm  I called (APF) and I told them who I was  Virgil Roberson and that I had emailed them several times but had not heard back from them and that I hoped everything was alright and if they could please call me back at 928-550-0228 it would be greatly appreciated. Then I emailed them yesterday at 9:45 pm

"Well it has been several weeks and several emails and a telephone call and I have heard nothing back so if you would return the whole collection back to me. I will pay for the return UPS." and tonight August 3rd at 9:51,   I emailed them again from another email address listed on their website ,  "It has been a month now and I have not heard back from you after several emails and a telephone call please send the albums back , I have a UPS account and will pay for it "

But I have heard nothing back since June 10th, I can forward official emails and attached files and mail you official UPS receipt of the sent stamp collection and phone number as well

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.