Ripped off by canada customs!

[un1bomber]

Hey guys,

so I bought 3 H3 Motorla bluetooth headsets from ebay totalling roughly $65CDN, but when the package came to my door the package was opened by canada customs and they made me pay $42 in GST, PST and $5 handling charge. The worst part is that the 'value for duty' section stated the goods had a $300 value!!!!!!!! does anyone know how I can recoup some of my $47 back or anything I can do in this case

many thanks!

[KorruptioN]

The worst part is that the 'value for duty' section stated the goods had a $300 value!!!!!!!!

Isn't this because of the vendor?

[3weddings]

Use the form on the back of the duty form on the package and send it in.

I had a similar incident with a pair of sunglasses they assessed incorrectly...I sent them my paypal invoice and received my refund.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...highlight=duty

[3weddings]

Hey guys,

The worst part is that the 'value for duty' section stated the goods had a $300 value!!!!!!!!

Ooops...I missed that part!!! But you can certainly try what I did...it doesn't hurt!

[AirTimid]

Blame the vendor. As for customs, you could contact them and explain the situation. You would also need to prove that what you paid was $65. I guess a copy of the ebay auction and paypal receipt would be a good start. I once had an issue with ebay where the seller sent my item in 2 boxes and wrote the total value on each box separately, which caused me to pay the same tax twice. I sent them all my info and got reimbursed. I would definitely call. Sometimes the people at the Post Office can offer assistance.

[spf1971]

Sounds like your fight is more with the vendor than with customs. They charge duty on the "value" of the item. If the vendor lists it at $300 then that's what they base the duty on but like the others said, if you can show you paid less I'm sure you'll be able to get the duty re-evaluated.

Good Luck

[un1bomber]

Many thanks for the replies guys... I just ripped off the form as suggested so I could fill it out, and under it is the original customs decloration form from the seller in HK. He marked it as a gift and value as $10!!! WTF??!??! so canada customs put the $300 tag on it??? this is really pissing me off now, help would be appreciated

thx guys

[td0t0]

I had a similar problem, but I don't know what form at the back of the customs sheet you're talking bout is

i called customs and they said to sent in this form too but when I went to look after I called, there wasn't anything at the back???

Also, I printed something off the internet that I think is the same but not sure....

[Tha_Doggg]

I have heard horror stories of Canada Post re-evaluating items at much more than what they actually are worth. Give them a call and send them the invoice as proof.

Thankfully this never happened to me and I have received numerous items from the states and I have never had to pay taxes or duties (except for once when I received jewelry)...even on $300 items I never got charged. I guess it depends on your luck.

[westernartic]

I have heard horror stories of Canada Post re-evaluating items at much more than what they actually are worth. Give them a call and send them the invoice as proof.

Thankfully this never happened to me and I have received numerous items from the states and I have never had to pay taxes or duties (except for once when I received jewelry)...even on $300 items I never got charged. I guess it depends on your luck.

Canada post is not all that bad.Now ups that is a horror story.Last week i paid $500 in duty thanks to ups very high fees.

[spf1971]

Many thanks for the replies guys... I just ripped off the form as suggested so I could fill it out, and under it is the original customs decloration form from the seller in HK. He marked it as a gift and value as $10!!! WTF??!??! so canada customs put the $300 tag on it??? this is really pissing me off now, help would be appreciated

thx guys

At the same though, customs isn't stupid and they know a lot of people list stuff as "gifts" with a very low dollar amount. If the listed value and actual value are excessively different, they will assess a value that is closer to the actual number just like with motor vehicle registration. I still think you should be able to get some of the duty refunded.

[joesph]

you can't fight the government

[brute33]

it happends to me on occasion. you can contest it and send in your paperwork and they will send you a refund of the differnce. it wasn't difficult then...

[Calmuser]

just tear off that customs form on your package and on the back there is a form to fill out.

I've had to do it a few times.

Last time I had RMA return of a DVD which was marked on the package at a $0 value warrenty replacement item, papers in the box indicated same. But customs opened up the package and decided the value was $60 and decided to charge me for that.

I send in the form and 3 weeks later I got a check in the mail. A pain, but at least I got my money back.

[Ebola]

Fill out an adjustment claim.

Was the package shipped by USPS or by UPS/FedEx?

There's clearly more to this story.

Edit:

I did a quick search, and although they are generally selling at $25/per on various websites for the H3 Headset, the MSRP is $79.99. If whatever source the customs officers used to look up the value had them listed as more (old source?) then I definetly have an idea as to what happened.

So if upon opening they see what at list price is at least $250 worth of goods declared at $10, that's where your taxes could come from. And that's basically the easy way out.. isntead of seizing them as undervalued and you going through that whole thing.

So basically, you have to prove that you didn't pay list price, that it did cost you just $65, and maybe explain why it was listed at $10. Although they already know it's common practice.

P.S. I'm also assuming these are the older H3 headsets, and not the newer RAZR H3's which are worth more.