Postage scam? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 06:41:34 pm
content: Today I got a notice from the post office that there was outstanding postage to be paid on an item before they will deliver it. The charge is approximately the difference between a large letter and small parcel. Not a lot in the greater scheme of things, and if the stupid Royal Mail website would have accepted any part of my address then I'd've thought no more of it. But...Don't know what the item is but I suspect it's cheap, and postage would be a large part of the cost. It occurs to me that the under-payment of postage may be deliberate (perhaps it's listed as free shipping, or the rate is too low for the weight or something) and a way to make it look like the price is cheaper than it really is. Since one would normally cough for the postage before finding out what it is, it would be difficult to claim this back from the vendor - if it were Amazon it might be possible if you're in their good books, but for Ebay it's hard enough to get to a real person to complain, and since it's marked as delivered the usual return/refund options aren't applicable.Anyone know if this actually happens, or is it probably a genuine mistake?Edit: whatever it is it will be electronics related - that's all I've ordered recently AFAIAK

author: TomKatt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 06:51:51 pm
content: I've seen several types of this scam in the US. It was pretty obvious to me because I hadn't ordered anything to begin with. And I imagine that even if it were legit, worst case would be you'd receive a note for postage due at time of pickup - are they really going to email the recipient for any missing postage? Why not contact the shipper?Not sure how your postal mail works, but in the US most postal deliveries are tracked, and it should be relatively easy to see the status of packages being delivered to you.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 06:57:08 pm
content: You should be able to go to the post office and ask to see the item. Dont pay over the phone or online.It annoys me that other couriers think it's fine to pay import fees then add some extra on then send me an email out of the blue and they get funny when I question it.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 07:09:12 pm
content: I bought a Simpson 260 meter via E-bay a few years ago and I paid the postage in advance but then the USPS wanted more money before they would deliver it. But along with the postage due notice, they sent a notice saying that the package had been "damaged" and repackaged. When the delivery woman returned with the package the next day I looked at it and I could tell that it had been repackaged and reshipped at a more expensive rate (overnight shipping!) than the original parcel post shipping AND I could hear pieces of glass rattling around in the box. I told her no and to return it to the sender. The delivery woman made the decision on the spot to give it to me anyway and to forgive the postage due. As it turns out the sender had packed it poorly and the USPS had quit obviously dropped it and then driven about ten trucks over it and the glass was broken and the meter movement wrecked. So long story short, the USPS had wrecked it and expected me to pay them extra for their "service", including a new box and overnight shipping after theycompletelydestroyed the original.So, yes, "postage due" IS a scam in my experience with the US Postal Service!

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 07:23:10 pm
content: QuoteI don't know who that is. Or what this is.QuoteYes, that seems quite sensible

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 07:26:24 pm
content: QuoteInteresting! But I think this isn't of that order. I sometimes get parcels damaged (and, indeed, got one the other day which was ripped and barely holding the contents in) but never get a charge for that.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 08:55:36 pm
content: Was the notice by text/email or something posted through your door?Text message/email = almost certainly a scam.If it's through your door it's probably legit but in the past they've let me see the parcel at the delivery office before I accepted the need to pay, it was just a late present from my grandma who didn't know a large parcel wasn't three first class stamps any more. Bless her.You don't have to accept the postage payment, they'll just return it to sender if you refuse to pay (ironically at greater cost than whether they'd just given it to you, but that's the postal system for you.)

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 09:13:32 pm
content: Basic question: how would the Post Office know your email address?It's a scam.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 09:19:52 pm
content: Royal Mail delivers to Vatican?

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 09:37:44 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on February 27, 2023, 09:19:52 pmWhat's that supposed to mean?

author: mwb1100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 10:02:52 pm
content: Quote from: Benta on February 27, 2023, 09:37:44 pmOP's profile "flag" is for Vatican City.

author: mwb1100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 10:04:10 pm
content: Quote from: Benta on February 27, 2023, 09:13:32 pmI don't think the OP ever said the notice came in email.

author: Messtechniker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 10:24:17 pm
content: What about the account you are being asked to send the money?Is it a normal bank account of a known bank in your country?Anthing else will be highly dubious.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 10:45:41 pm
content: QuoteCard through the door. It is pukka.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 10:48:31 pm
content: Quote from: Benta on February 27, 2023, 09:13:32 pmWho said anything about email? Not me.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 10:50:48 pm
content: QuoteIt's the postoffice website:https://www.royalmail.com/receiving-mail/pay-a-feeI am not worried about that - the notification and receiving account are genuine postoffice things. What I am asking about is whether the sender not paying the full rate (so that I have to pay some) is deliberate or a mistake.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 11:14:30 pm
content: While outstanding fees are a real thing, it could very well be a phishing attempt. I just got another one today, supposedly from the Swiss Post, but that opened with “Good day, my love, !” 🤣Yeah no, Switzerland isn’tthatcuddly a place!

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 11:21:26 pm
content: We get on well with our posty (he often recovers our garbage bin from the curb as he comes up the path), but notthatwell

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2023, 11:30:16 pm
content: Quote from: PlainName on February 27, 2023, 06:41:34 pmIf it were Amazon or Ebay I wouldn't even give it a second thought.Ebay: pay the postage (assuming payment goes to royal mail), contact the seller saying you had to pay postage, they will refund you. The chance of them not refunding you and taking that negative rating hit is very very low. If they do, open a dispute.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2023, 11:07:32 am
content: I thought Ebay would be harder to fix since I'd have to prove the postage was short, and Royal Mail doesn't normally provide receipts or similar that would make it easy. We will no doubt find out soon

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2023, 11:22:52 am
content: Quote from: PlainName on February 28, 2023, 11:07:32 amPay by card (keeping the receipt) and keep the "overdue postage" notification card. Should be enough.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2023, 11:43:40 am
content: The problem is relating the card to the item. The package might have a sticker on, though, and that might be enough.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2023, 11:50:03 am
content: Turns out to be not a scam. Well, not aimed at me, anyway.Some time ago I ordered an Ebay item which was pretty flat. It never arrived and the vendor said they'd shipped it first class post as a large letter. I eventually got a refund and, surprise, this is what the item requiring a fee to be paid was.I asked what the problem was with it and the chap said it was too big. It's one of those grey plastic post bags and on returning home I measured it and found it to be exactly the right size for large letter. Not a surprise, really, since it's designed for Royal Mail's shipping sizes. Anyway, the postage was paid with a first class stamp, which I figure to be worth 68p instead of the £1.05 a large letter requires.I've now offered to ship it back to the vendor at their cost. (I had to replace it, of course, and found a different source at a fifth of the price, so it's no use to me now anyway.)

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2023, 12:55:37 pm
content: Duh! Vendor was rather passive aggressive in reply, making out I'd done him out of his money. If he'd just put the right postage on in the first place... Kind of making me feel I shouldn't've let him know why his item appeared lost, and quietly keep it instead of offering to send it back.