HELP! I got ripped by a TB brother(?)

dcr · #1 07-18-2007, 06:42 PM

Just got a nice official letter in the mail from FedEx. Seems that one of our Canadian TB brothers I positively bent over backwards to help has shafted me. He has neglected to pay Customs fees for over 2 months on a bass he bought, so now they're planning on taking it from me. Fee is about $100 USD, so it's not a terrible loss. But it's the principle, ya know?

I used PayPal and it was a confirmed address, but it's past their 45 day (IIRC) limit. And I can't seem to get an answer from them.

I'm not gonna name names at this point in order to give him a chance to respond, but I don't anticipate him doing so.

Anybody out there got any ideas? I don't mind spending more than I might actually recover in order to exact my revenge, either.

Thanks!

dcr

HELLonWheels187 · #2 07-18-2007, 06:48 PM

What happens if you just don't pay the fees?

dcr · #3 07-18-2007, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HELLonWheels187

What happens if you just don't pay the fees?

Well since I have a FedEx account tied to my credit card, I figure they'll just dun me for it.

dcr

peaveyuser · #4 07-18-2007, 07:24 PM

That sucks considering all of us canucks on tb seem like good people, I hope it wasn't any of the more frequent users.

Embryodead · #5 07-18-2007, 08:40 PM

does he have the bass? If so then that sucks, if not then pay the fees and have it returned to your place?

dcr · #6 07-18-2007, 09:02 PM

I assume he has the bass, as he never called to tell me otherwise.

Now that's a clever idea. Maybe he doesn't. Perhaps I'll look into that.

Thanks!

dcr

**Freddels** · #7 07-18-2007, 09:18 PM

I could be wrong here but I believe that if the customs duties are not paid then the item is forfeited to the gov't. They just keep it. I doubt they released the item to him without the customs duty being paid.

Yvon · #8 07-18-2007, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

I could be wrong here but I believe that if the customs duties are not paid then the item is forfeited to the gov't. They just keep it. I doubt they released the item to him without the customs duty being paid.

They do, fedex usualy just send a bill a few days after you received the package.

TheButler · #9 07-19-2007, 04:59 AM

I know in the UK that you don't get the package until all duties are paid on it. That is a stupid system FedEx have got, there will be many A******* that will take advantge of it.

Yvon · #10 07-19-2007, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheButler

I know in the UK that you don't get the package until all duties are paid on it. That is a stupid system FedEx have got, there will be many A******* that will take advantge of it.

Only Fedex work that way. Canada post, purolator and UPS need to be paid right away.

dcr · #11 07-19-2007, 09:29 AM

Man, I wish I'd known that before.

It's almost as easy for me to go UPS. Except I have a FedEx account. Now, looks like that account's gonna pay me back for working so well up to this point. AAAAARRRGH!

dcr

**Freddels** · #12 07-19-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcr

Man, I wish I'd known that before.

It's almost as easy for me to go UPS. Except I have a FedEx account. Now, looks like that account's gonna pay me back for working so well up to this point. AAAAARRRGH!

dcr

I don't see how they are rightfully going to charge your account for something that is due from the addressee. I'd look at the contract for your account to see if there's something in there that expressly allows them to charge you for it.

morf · #13 07-19-2007, 09:57 AM

They cant charge you for it, its his problem, not yours. Tell them if they charge you, you take em to court, they'll back off and that will be the last you hear of it.

Foamy · #14 07-19-2007, 10:00 AM

You can also dispute the charges against your credit card. The card issuing company will have to investigate it, and sometimes they get pretty aggressive in fighting it for you. Worth a shot!

**David Wilson** · #15 07-19-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morf

They cant charge you for it, its his problem, not yours. Tell them if they charge you, you take em to court, they'll back off and that will be the last you hear of it.

When you ship something to Canada via FedEx, part of the electronic agreement you sign is that you assume overall responsibility for the brokerage fees. So if the receiver doesn't pay, you're liable. Ergo, you can't refuse to pay it.

morf · #16 07-19-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmwilson

When you ship something to Canada via FedEx, part of the electronic agreement you sign is that you assume overall responsibility for the brokerage fees. So if the receiver doesn't pay, you're liable. Ergo, you can't refuse to pay it.

Seriously? That is screwed up...

rob2966 · #17 07-19-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvon

Only Fedex work that way. Canada post, purolator and UPS need to be paid right away.

When I received my Sadowsky by Fedex (in Vancouver) I had to pay the brokerage fees before they would give me the bass. Maybe they have different rules depending on the value of the item.

I have definately been billed after the fact by UPS (nothing like paying $50 brokerage on a $150 pedal, won't use UPS again - but that is a different can of worms)

Later
Rob

louieeadg · #18 07-19-2007, 11:40 AM

Tell the Mounties! They're not busy doing anything else...

EDIT: joke

dcr · #19 07-19-2007, 01:37 PM

Joke or not, if I thought it would help, I'd already have called!

dcr

louieeadg · #20 07-19-2007, 01:40 PM

Yeah, if they went to his house and got the bass back it'd be hard to carry it on a horse.