Hack&Lube
01-24-2006, 06:53 AM
A few weeks ago, I posted about how I had some computer parts shipped to me from the US but the seller sent it via UPS by accident.
This was in the beginning of January. UPS has basically now held onto my package for a month and now I get a postcard in the mail telling me that they will return the package to sender or it will be abandoned immediately unless I called them.
I call UPS and they tell me that they are holding my package because the original shipper wrote $5 value on it. The rep basically interrogates me to find out where I purchased it and how much I paid for it (isn't there a privacy law against this?). I have no issue with paying the neccessary duties and taxes that the government charges so I told her that I paid $190 for it via money order and she demands that I scan it and e-mail it to her. On top of that, if I do send them the proof of value, they will charge me even more brokerage fees for processing the package, she estimated $50-$100.
Otherwise, they will return it to the sender and then charge him the return freight and the brokerage fees! If neither of us pays, they'll abandon and destroy it!
What is this??? UPS is holding my computer for ransom. Are they legally allowed to do this? Either I pay fees exhorbitant fees that are about 50% of what the value of the package is to UPS...or the guy who sent it has to pay for the return trip and fees on top of that just to get it back (+initial shipping cost)?
After careful reading, I tried calling UPS out on the guarantee on their website that should a package be delayed, that the reciever is exempt from brokerage fees, as the package is nearly 3 weeks late. The rep gave me an excuse like: "well you didn't have a phone number written on the package, therefore we can't honor that since we couldn't call you immediately" and "Canada Customs caused the delay, it's not us".
My experience with Canada Customs is that if a package's written value doesn't match the contents, they'll send it anyway unless they can prove it via an invoice inside the package or something. Is UPS extorting me? They are basically holding my package for ransom and either way, either me or the sender will have to pay big time to get our package back.
Excluding the regular duties and GST which I will have no issue paying, it's either I pay for UPS's private brokerage + extra processing ($50-$100). Or the original sender pays for return freight ($30 + $50-$100) maybe even the brokerage fees themselves), or they won't sign the package back over to either of us and will abandon it. Do I have any recourse in this situation besides one of us paying the ransom?
This was in the beginning of January. UPS has basically now held onto my package for a month and now I get a postcard in the mail telling me that they will return the package to sender or it will be abandoned immediately unless I called them.
I call UPS and they tell me that they are holding my package because the original shipper wrote $5 value on it. The rep basically interrogates me to find out where I purchased it and how much I paid for it (isn't there a privacy law against this?). I have no issue with paying the neccessary duties and taxes that the government charges so I told her that I paid $190 for it via money order and she demands that I scan it and e-mail it to her. On top of that, if I do send them the proof of value, they will charge me even more brokerage fees for processing the package, she estimated $50-$100.
Otherwise, they will return it to the sender and then charge him the return freight and the brokerage fees! If neither of us pays, they'll abandon and destroy it!
What is this??? UPS is holding my computer for ransom. Are they legally allowed to do this? Either I pay fees exhorbitant fees that are about 50% of what the value of the package is to UPS...or the guy who sent it has to pay for the return trip and fees on top of that just to get it back (+initial shipping cost)?
After careful reading, I tried calling UPS out on the guarantee on their website that should a package be delayed, that the reciever is exempt from brokerage fees, as the package is nearly 3 weeks late. The rep gave me an excuse like: "well you didn't have a phone number written on the package, therefore we can't honor that since we couldn't call you immediately" and "Canada Customs caused the delay, it's not us".
My experience with Canada Customs is that if a package's written value doesn't match the contents, they'll send it anyway unless they can prove it via an invoice inside the package or something. Is UPS extorting me? They are basically holding my package for ransom and either way, either me or the sender will have to pay big time to get our package back.
Excluding the regular duties and GST which I will have no issue paying, it's either I pay for UPS's private brokerage + extra processing ($50-$100). Or the original sender pays for return freight ($30 + $50-$100) maybe even the brokerage fees themselves), or they won't sign the package back over to either of us and will abandon it. Do I have any recourse in this situation besides one of us paying the ransom?