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UPS, Bills and Customs
Over the holidays, we received a package from family in Canada via UPS. It was a hassle getting the package, as we ended up needing to find the UPS by the airport to retrieve it ourselves. Oh well, no damage done, package received.
Except now, one month later, we get something that looks like a bill (all in dutch). After asking some co-workers to look it over, they say they haven't seen one similar previously. What's odder, is that there are two "totals," but no where to pay. No address to mail a check, no website to pay online, no bank account number to wire money.
I called UPS, who says this is customs and I should contact them. I contact customs, they say it's from UPS, and I need to contact them. Although I'd dispute the estimate costs, I figure I'll have to swallow them, but who do I even pay? I'd love to ignore it, but my experience is that ignoring bills brings debt collectors and harassing phone calls.
All I want to know is if anyone else has had a similar experience.
My mother sent me a package in early December hoping it would get here by Christmas, which it didn't. I finally tracked it and found it had been in customs for weeks and when I finally went to pick it up 2 days ago, they tried to charge me 170 euros in 'customs fees'. My mom sends me packages of the same size once or twice a year for the last 5 years and this is the first time I have ever been requested to pay these fees. I rejected the package since I will be in the US in February anyway. Someone told me that if they open the box and they find new things inside they tax the items but I don't know if that's true.
