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[ForeverAmen 0]

Earlier this year we shipped a Flat Rate Postage box to Cameroon. Inside we includes photos, CD's, T-Shirts and used cell phones. After MONTHS of contacting UPS regarding the location of the box - it finally appeared.

My sister in law is now telling us that they:

1) Charged her $15.00 because she took to long to pick up the package.

2) Opened the packaged

3) Now wants $400.00 to pay for Customs.

My blood is about to boil!!!!!!!!!! Is this a common practice?

Thanks.

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

Yep! Happens in Ghana too.

The cell phones have a customs fee. And unless the package can fit in a postal box, they send it to the main office, but don't notify you that it's there. It's just your responsibility to go check every now and again. I sent a box once with junk stuff for the guys and my nieces and nephews candy canes, stuffed toys, stuff my then 4 year old had made for Bassi. Really just junk! But it makes Bassi smile and the kids love it and Kay loves it, so I sent it. They made him open it and were so disappointed that there wasn't anything of "value" in it. They eventually asked him if they could have a flamingo pen that Kay had sent for my neice that has a fluffy feather on top of it.

[reeses16 8]

That is ridiculous! Mail to Ethiopia is very slow. We've sent letters & photos by the postal service. I've used DHL a few times for immigration type stuff.

Thanks for sharing your story....maybe we don't want to send a package for Christmas. : (

[His Glory 25]

Earlier this year we shipped a Flat Rate Postage box to Cameroon. Inside we includes photos, CD's, T-Shirts and used cell phones. After MONTHS of contacting UPS regarding the location of the box - it finally appeared.

My sister in law is now telling us that they:

1) Charged her $15.00 because she took to long to pick up the package.

2) Opened the packaged

3) Now wants $400.00 to pay for Customs.

My blood is about to boil!!!!!!!!!! Is this a common practice?

Thanks.

I always sent registered. I sent cell phones and mp3 players and placed in between a small book and just wrapped everythings in layers of cellophane and ran a marker line all around it and wrote "tamper Line' so if someone tried to open it the lines would be misaligned. And the outer package felt solid all around. So if you shook it or felt it, nothing would be distinct. He had a po box in akosombo and he would get it all there without any hassle. I always figured whatever I sent him would not be replaced if stolen because insurance is only good in usa not when it leaves so even if I bought something for 50.00 I would state that it was worth 3.00 or 5.00 because honestly it couldnt be replaced so why put a price on it...but because the po wants to put something there I put it. and the low price never drew any attention to the package.

[ladybee 0]

i ve sent many items to burkina faso without a problem . i went to the regular post office and paid a flat fee it takes way long like 2 months. And then the post office in burkina faso calls him to pick up package or letters.

[ForeverAmen 0]

Earlier this year we shipped a Flat Rate Postage box to Cameroon. Inside we includes photos, CD's, T-Shirts and used cell phones. After MONTHS of contacting UPS regarding the location of the box - it finally appeared.

My sister in law is now telling us that they:

1) Charged her $15.00 because she took to long to pick up the package.

2) Opened the packaged

3) Now wants $400.00 to pay for Customs.

My blood is about to boil!!!!!!!!!! Is this a common practice?

Thanks.

I always sent registered. I sent cell phones and mp3 players and placed in between a small book and just wrapped everythings in layers of cellophane and ran a marker line all around it and wrote "tamper Line' so if someone tried to open it the lines would be misaligned. And the outer package felt solid all around. So if you shook it or felt it, nothing would be distinct. He had a po box in akosombo and he would get it all there without any hassle. I always figured whatever I sent him would not be replaced if stolen because insurance is only good in usa not when it leaves so even if I bought something for 50.00 I would state that it was worth 3.00 or 5.00 because honestly it couldnt be replaced so why put a price on it...but because the po wants to put something there I put it. and the low price never drew any attention to the package.

Hmmmm ..... good suggestion.

[ForeverAmen 0]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I am still ticked off. I still can't believe they opened a package that was not addressed to them. As for the customs fee .... *sigh ... Father please take out of my head, what I want my fingers to type*.

Edited October 11, 2008 by Boaz

[Simply_Uno 1]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I am still ticked off. I still can't believe they opened a package that was not addressed to them. As for the customs fee .... *sigh ... Father please take out of my head, what I want my fingers to type*.

Hey Boaz,

Calm down, I know, easier said....blah, blah, blah.

I am not familiar with UPS (united parcel service), but when I used USPS (united states post office) to ship to ghana, on the customs sheet; where it asks for value of items, I always wrote $10.00 . Then I scanned him a copy of the customs sheet , which he took to the post office in ghana so that he had proof that he had an item shipped to him, the date the item left the states (verifying an approximate date of arrival based upon date of shipment) and he was aware of how much the value was stated on the form. That way, when my husband was present to pick up his package (unopened) B) , they could no longer attempt to jip him out of money or try to charge him a storage fee for not picking up the item in enough time. (Once bitten, twice shy).

Just take it in stride, its all a learning process.

God Bless

UNO

[Ta Ta 1]

Happened to us with USPS. I send a package with Christmas presents. After a very long time it finally arrived.

The ignoramus didn't want to hand over the package and came up with a joke of a customs figure ( figuring in my postage, dividing and multiplying, adding etc...........it was crazy.

It came to about $ 150 or so and Stephen got him down to $ 75. The phone rang very early and I sleepily realized Stephen had this problem there and then he handed me to the guy who was talking nonsense about the fees, ranting and raving.

Everyone was talking loud and fussing and Stephen almost walked off without the stuff.

The grinch almost stole Christmas for him, his daughter , his brother and his 3 children.

Falalalalaaaaaaaaaalalalala.

Now I only send small stuff with someone going over or with a friend who allows me to put boxes in his shipping container for free.

Never again any other way, not worth it !

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

I sent a birthday gift to SO back in June. USPS said it would take 6 to 10 days - took 6 WEEKS!!!! I was so upset because it cost me extra for the "faster" service and I don't have extra money to just waste, shipping was more expensive than the gifts. They did open it but not until he was there. I figured it took so long because I had sent candy and sacchrin is on the list of things NOT ALLOWED AT ALL to be sent to Senegal. But since they didn't open until SO was at the post office I have NO IDEA what the hold up was.

@ Omoba good idea of sending things with others. In fact just the other day I contacted a non-profit that sends things to children all over the world and told them if they had anything they wanted to get to Senegal I'd be more than happy to take it since I am allowed 2 check-in and carry-ons and I don't plan on taking all that much. They didn't have anything but were glad that I offered. I told her I'd let her know when I go again.

[Simply_Uno 1]

I sent a birthday gift to SO back in June. USPS said it would take 6 to 10 days - took 6 WEEKS!!!! I was so upset because it cost me extra for the "faster" service and I don't have extra money to just waste, shipping was more expensive than the gifts. They did open it but not until he was there. I figured it took so long because I had sent candy and sacchrin is on the list of things NOT ALLOWED AT ALL to be sent to Senegal. But since they didn't open until SO was at the post office I have NO IDEA what the hold up was.

@ Omoba good idea of sending things with others. In fact just the other day I contacted a non-profit that sends things to children all over the world and told them if they had anything they wanted to get to Senegal I'd be more than happy to take it since I am allowed 2 check-in and carry-ons and I don't plan on taking all that much. They didn't have anything but were glad that I offered. I told her I'd let her know when I go again.

I dont know if you are familiar with this or not, but the 6-10 days they qouted you is accurate. Thats how long it takes to leave our country and get to theirs. You can also track it and verify once it leaves here, but once it gets to their country, our country can not track it, nor have any more responsibility as to what they do to it. Any further delays is on the receiving countrys' end, not ours. Their country is not as developed, so therefore not as organized as we are.

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

I sent a birthday gift to SO back in June. USPS said it would take 6 to 10 days - took 6 WEEKS!!!! I was so upset because it cost me extra for the "faster" service and I don't have extra money to just waste, shipping was more expensive than the gifts. They did open it but not until he was there. I figured it took so long because I had sent candy and sacchrin is on the list of things NOT ALLOWED AT ALL to be sent to Senegal. But since they didn't open until SO was at the post office I have NO IDEA what the hold up was.

@ Omoba good idea of sending things with others. In fact just the other day I contacted a non-profit that sends things to children all over the world and told them if they had anything they wanted to get to Senegal I'd be more than happy to take it since I am allowed 2 check-in and carry-ons and I don't plan on taking all that much. They didn't have anything but were glad that I offered. I told her I'd let her know when I go again.

I dont know if you are familiar with this or not, but the 6-10 days they qouted you is accurate. Thats how long it takes to leave our country and get to theirs. You can also track it and verify once it leaves here, but once it gets to their country, our country can not track it, nor have any more responsibility as to what they do to it. Any further delays is on the receiving countrys' end, not ours. Their country is not as developed, so therefore not as organized as we are.

Sure would be nice to be TOLD that LOL!!! The woman specifically told me it would get to SO in no more than 10 days - maybe my postal workers just need to be educated a bit more

[ForeverAmen 0]

Happened to us with USPS. I send a package with Christmas presents. After a very long time it finally arrived.

The ignoramus didn't want to hand over the package and came up with a joke of a customs figure ( figuring in my postage, dividing and multiplying, adding etc...........it was crazy.

It came to about $ 150 or so and Stephen got him down to $ 75. The phone rang very early and I sleepily realized Stephen had this problem there and then he handed me to the guy who was talking nonsense about the fees, ranting and raving.

Everyone was talking loud and fussing and Stephen almost walked off without the stuff.

The grinch almost stole Christmas for him, his daughter , his brother and his 3 children.

Falalalalaaaaaaaaaalalalala.

Now I only send small stuff with someone going over or with a friend who allows me to put boxes in his shipping container for free.

Never again any other way, not worth it !

Good plan. Perhaps I can tell my sister in law that she should attempt to bargin the amount they are requesting.

Thanks.

[ForeverAmen 0]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I am still ticked off. I still can't believe they opened a package that was not addressed to them. As for the customs fee .... *sigh ... Father please take out of my head, what I want my fingers to type*.

Hey Boaz,

Calm down, I know, easier said....blah, blah, blah.

I am not familiar with UPS (united parcel service), but when I used USPS (united states post office) to ship to ghana, on the customs sheet; where it asks for value of items, I always wrote $10.00 . Then I scanned him a copy of the customs sheet , which he took to the post office in ghana so that he had proof that he had an item shipped to him, the date the item left the states (verifying an approximate date of arrival based upon date of shipment) and he was aware of how much the value was stated on the form. That way, when my husband was present to pick up his package (unopened) B) , they could no longer attempt to jip him out of money or try to charge him a storage fee for not picking up the item in enough time. (Once bitten, twice shy).

Just take it in stride, its all a learning process.

God Bless

UNO

In the past the only packages sent were to my husband during the whole visa process. Since then, it's been money sent via Money Gram or Western Union. I like the idea of scanning a copy of the customs sheet.

On the other hand .... blah, blah, blah ....guess I do have to take it in stride ... BUT .... I still don't agree!

[kk_mine 0]

Wow sorry to hear that! I would be upset as well!!! I mailed a pkg and was told by USPS that it would take 6-10days (total) to get there. Then my mother called and she was told 14. Then I called again after so much time went by and was then told they have no control over how long it takes. I ex to the one that gave the correct info they need to train their employees to give out the correct info vs. a good guess. lol But it took 1 month and two weeks to arrive. But it was not touched and in tact the way I sent it!