Scammed and now being asked to pay Customs

[Bobbyboy]

On the 16th Dec 2021 I came across an add advertising CBD capsules for pain endorsed by Mary Berry and Dame Judy Dench.
Having suffered with lower back pain for many years and being told by the GP and Specialist that unfortunately I will have to live with it, thought it might be worth a try.

So I placed an order and received an acknowledgement for Five bottles, costing me £199 instead of the £39 the advert cleverly, led me to believe.
The same day I emailed the company complaining that this was not what there web site had said and after a lot of emails back and forth over the next few days I received a refund in full.
Next day I received the items, in touch with the company again and was given an address to whom I was to mail the parcel back.

Therefore thought that was the end of the saga, but no such luck on the 28th December I received an invoice from DHL demanding payment of customs duty for £99.84, which apparently relates to the above, how they had my name and address I have no clue.

I emailed DHL and told them all about the above and that I no longer had the goods and that they should get payment from my original supplier [I also gave them the email address that I had].
But DHL are insisting on payment!

Tried talking to the original Supplier via chat and email but all we do is go around in circles and they do not intend to give me a refund if I pay or pay the invoice themselves.

As copied here:
"You have been already fully refunded for this transaction. That is all we can do from our part. We do not have influence on DHL company's policy. Please contact DHL company directly. Best regards, Amy
Customer Support Team"

The company in question is xxx

I have since found out that there is a huge scam going on here, the original web site has now been closed down by Microsoft, there are reports about them in various newspapers such as the Daily Mail , The Sun etc and yet they are still trading.

The main question from my point of view is what should I do about this Customs Invoice, I have now received a further letter from DHL demanding payment in 7 days or it will be put in the hands of their debt collection agency, that 7 days is now up

Any suggestions help etc would be appreciated.

[echat11]

Hi BobbyBoy

How did you pay for the original goods? If you paid by credit / debit card you should be refunded by your card provider.

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint, mark it as such, explain what's happened, why the payment isn't your responsibility and what you want them to do about it. Explain by asking for the money they are complicit in the scam / fraud. Tell them your next step will be to make a complaint against DHL with Action Fraud.

Email the complaint to:

Ian Wilson
CEO
tothetop@dhl.com

[Bobbyboy]

Thank you very much for your reply.
I paid for the order by Credit card but the supplier, have after a lot of hassle repaid all of that and I thought that it was all over. Then I receive this invoice to pay for Duty.
Apparently I am being told that it doesn't matter that it was a scam, the fact is that I have imported goods, DHL have paid duty on my behalf and you now owe them [how they had my name and address I have no idea].
So I think that is what I should do, I have all ready received a follow up from DHL promising that they will put this in the hands of their debt collecting agency and I have no wish to have further costs added to this.
The original goods were returned to an address in the UK therefore I cannot claim the Duty back, but I will have to try to recover from the original supplier who now have the goods.
Hope all that makes sense, as my head is spinning with all of this.

[DE DOGS]

OK, this is how it works, you order goods from the USA. That creates an invoice, the item is shipped to the UK. The paperwork is handled by an agent at the port of entry to the UK. DHL. The agent then makes up a docket for insection by Customs, this is called "The Entry", Customs, if they chose to, will inspect the good or not and just pass the item through, I guess to DHL, who will pay all duty such as VAT @ today's rate 20% plus their charges for transport and clearance fees, you will then receive the goods, you then make payment to DHL for the invoice. Now as you have returned the item it is not for DHL to recover your VAT. It is for you to claim the payment from the Company to whom you returned the item back to. That is how it works.

[echat11]

You've corresponded with customer services, not the CEO. You should escalate the matter to the CEO.

Another option is to contact your credit card provider, explain the situation see what they suggest. Section 75 covers you for 'consequential losses'.

[Bobbyboy]

DHL would have delivered the item to you and therefore have your address on file, so DHL paid the duty

Therefore the address could only have come via the Company from whom I ordered the goods.

So I ordered the goods via a web site [ who appeared to be in the UK] they then supplied them from the USA and because it had my name on them I am liable for the goods
.
The goods were returned to the supplier and to a UK address therefore they should reimburse me?

The web site was a scam as I found out charging way above what was on the web site, thankfully I have recovered the amount they took from my bank but I am now stuck with the duty.

[Bobbyboy]

I have now paid DHL as I received a letter regarding late payment and referral to DHL's debt collecting agency.

Now the goods were returned to the seller and not to the USA from which I understand they came from, so I cannot claim a refund from Customs.

I have assumed I make a claim from the company from whom I placed my original order, which I have now done, enclosing proof of payment, I am also assuming that they will NOT give me a refund and make all sorts of excuses why not.

Who and were do I go to make a claim?

[echat11]

I have now paid DHL as I received a letter regarding late payment and referral to DHL's debt collecting agency.

Now the goods were returned to the seller and not to the USA from which I understand they came from, so I cannot claim a refund from Customs.

I have assumed I make a claim from the company from whom I placed my original order, which I have now done, enclosing proof of payment, I am also assuming that they will NOT give me a refund and make all sorts of excuses why not.

Who and were do I go to make a claim?

I will only post this once more - 'Another option is to contact your credit card provider, explain the situation see what they suggest. Section 75 covers you for 'consequential losses'.'

[Bobbyboy]

Contacted my Credit Card provider and the short answer is that they cannot help me, now what??
Do I just write it all off?

[echat11]

Contacted my Credit Card provider and the short answer is that they cannot help me, now what??
Do I just write it all off?

Have you written to them? That's what you need to do.

[DE DOGS]

As I pointed out you need to claim back from the company you returned the goods to.They have the goods they pay.

[Bobbyboy]

Hi DE DOGS, I have done that but all excuses buy no refund [copy from post seven]:

I have now paid DHL as I received a letter regarding late payment and referral to DHL's debt collecting agency.

Now the goods were returned to the seller and not to the USA from which I understand they came from, so I cannot claim a refund from Customs.

I have assumed I make a claim from the company from whom I placed my original order, which I have now done, enclosing proof of payment, I am also assuming that they will NOT give me a refund and make all sorts of excuses why not.

[Bobbyboy]

Have you written to them? That's what you need to do.

Will try that but having tried by phone do not hold out much hope.

[echat11]

Will try that but having tried by phone do not hold out much hope.

Make sure you make clear what has happened clearly, send the documentation / communications, mention that you are claiming 'consequential losses', that if they don't resolve the matter (refund) then you will lodge a complaint with the FOS.

[DE DOGS]

Hi DE DOGS, I have done that but all excuses buy no refund [copy from post seven]:

I have now paid DHL as I received a letter regarding late payment and referral to DHL's debt collecting agency.

Now the goods were returned to the seller and not to the USA from which I understand they came from, so I cannot claim a refund from Customs.

I have assumed I make a claim from the company from whom I placed my original order, which I have now done, enclosing proof of payment, I am also assuming that they will NOT give me a refund and make all sorts of excuses why not.

You must claim from the Company where you sent the items back to, as they are now the owner, next stage it Claims from the Court.