Post Office Money Machine

**Steven Tribe** · 27-Jan-2016, 07:19

This is a small import from the USA to Denmark. Small brochures bought on the FS section. Printed over a hundred years ago - so there was the expectation of the 5% VAT. This meant I was looking a charge of just over 1 usd. My experience is that this sort of amount is not usually demanded.

Not so. First I was presented with the 25% VAT - as much as 5 usd - plus the 25 usd admin fee. Eventually, after 7 emails, this reduced to the proper 5% VAT - just 1 usd - but still plus the 25 usd admin fee!

So I was asked to pay 25 times the actual tax amount due.

No - they can send it back at their own cost and use a bit more time on administration.

I should make it clear that this is not a state owned organisation anymore, but has a general agreement with the somewhat exhausted Danish tax authorities to carry out "admin" on their behalf.

**IanG** · 27-Jan-2016, 08:31

They are all the same the UK Post Office charges £8 handling fee to collect the taxes, UPS and DHL etc are just as bad.

It's not actually the Post Offices at fault it's the Customs and they've realised they can collect significantly more taxes. It seems the Post Offices or other carriers are in the middle having to pay the taxes upfront before collection so introduced the charges. That charge is high on small items but has to cover the expensive items as well.

Ian

**Steven Tribe** · 27-Jan-2016, 15:17

The story gets worse and worse!

I informed the seller that his brochures would now be sent back to-day. He replied that he had already received them! Amazing, just 6 hours ago I received my last email from Post Office about the item and had a final telephone conversation afterwards. What would they have done if I had paid?

**B.S.Kumar** · 29-Jan-2016, 01:02

Just for kicks, tell them you've reconsidered, and are willing to pay the fees. They'll tell you the brochures have been returned. Ask when they were returned...

**andreios** · 29-Jan-2016, 03:18

Same here.. Recently I bought three cascade film holder cases from Bruce @photobackpacking during the sale - and in the end I paid on customs, duties and all the fees the same amount as I have paid for the items themselves.. And they call it the open global market..

**Steven Tribe** · 31-Jan-2016, 09:52

Curiousier and Curiousier!
The Post Office import section have contacted me and asked whether I wish to make a claim for faulty (incompetent) administration, resulting in the item being sent back to the sender!
Not really possible as the item has been relisted here and sold within a few hours.

**Tin Can** · 31-Jan-2016, 10:23

Originally Posted by Steven Tribe

Curiousier and Curiousier!
The Post Office import section have contacted me and asked whether I wish to make a claim for faulty (incompetent) administration, resulting in the item being sent back to the sender!
Not really possible as the item has been relisted here and sold within a few hours.

Pain and suffering damages.

**Duolab123** · 6-Mar-2016, 10:13

We may need to resort to a criminal syndicate. Sounds like there is a market here for smuggling. It would be much easier on my conscience to be smuggling Linhof lensboards and old Kodak literature than Drugs and Guns.
Another angle would be to offer free vacations. If you went through customs probably would be no charge. People could pay the airfare for innocent looking folks to carry their items in their baggage. Pick the stuff up at the airport.

Seriously this is a bunch of nonsense, It is compounded by currency fluctuations. Try filing a claim with the US Postal Service, I have a friend took her 5 months and at least a dozen visits to resolve, all this for $50!