seller falsifying international shipping documents

[brogreg62]

received an e-mail from a seller saying they were falsifying the international shipping documents sending the item as a gift and putting a lower value on the documents than what i paid and if my government caught it at the border it was my problem and not his
first off this is a federal offense in either Country Canada or the USA and i am refusing to receive anything
that was sent this way
i have requested my money back and the seller has refused unless i accept the item and ship it back
if i recieve the item knowing that the documents are false i will be  committing a federal offense 

i will be contacting

USPS, Canada post the FBI and R.C.M.P as well as the Canadian border services agency and the US customs and border protection

[i*m-still-here]

I was answering your question/comment, nothing else.

You need to hire an accountant............. and fast.

[pjcdn2005]

still here,

Pierre can defend himself so don't bother to suggest that I am coming to his defense as you always do. I'm just tired of your posts that spin the truth and are consistently passive aggressive.

To me that sounds like brogreg62 is asking for a refund and wants to keep the item......

From the OP......a federal offense in either Country Canada or the USA and i am refusing to receive anything

How do you equate not wanting the package at all with keeping it and getting a refund? sheesh

I could be wrong and brogreg62 may simply of like mine with P*********** and is upset because he didn't pay the appropriate taxes

Read the OP. He is concerned about the legality. I think that the OP is  overreacting as well but if he feels uncomfortable about doing something, why try to read something else into it?

You should not be claiming a refund for GST/HST for personal items.   That is just wrong.

Where did that come from?  Who said they were doing that?

You need to hire an accountant............. and fast.

Why are you saying that?  I see nothing in this thread to suggest that Pierre should hire an accountant.

[pierrelebel]

"Pierre can defend himself'..."

You are correct but what is the point?

It has been a constant, almost daily, barrage of personal sneaky attacks for months.  And yes, cleaverly disguided attacks. It never stops. 😞 

As I stated many times previously, the goal of these discussion boards is to help posters (buyers and sellers) who at times may not fully understand how eBay or PayPal work or may need assistance with shipping methods, packaging, taxes, etc...

To be candid I have seen very few really contributing posts suggesting real knowledge and experience from that individual. I expect most readers have enough common sense to understand.

And life does go on.

[almond_t]

Pierre, there's always the IGNORE button, or....

you could take up smoking and become the hero of the day.  ( weird, but true...crazy, I know)

Voila!  No more constant denigration!

[i*m-still-here]

P********** you do get that you addressed me first, don't you?

You may consider my questions clever but they are just logical responses to your constant attacks on me ........ 

My Stalker P************.

You attack and then forget that you did and when there's a counterattack you play the victim.

I don't think so!

Again......... I was responding to you (go back and follow the thread)............ you addressed me............ and not the other way around and that is almost always the case.

I am not saying that I never respond to you first........... but what do you expect?

You were gone for about a year and immediately started in when you returned ........

Go and read a few months back and then you tell me who started this business?

Trust Me:  It wasn't me.

I didn't welcome you back with open arms but I was content to ignore you but you made that impossible.

PJ...... to me the OP doesn't make a lot of sense. and I'm simply guessing.

What does :  refusing to receive anything" mean?  I have no idea............ how could the buyer know how the item was declared unless he did receive it?

 I don't know and I have never said that I did.  That's why I suggested the brogreg reply.

And to you Almond........ Get Real!  Suggesting that I'm defendiing smoking is just beyond bizarre.

Please do put me on ignore.

[i*m-still-here]

To be candid I have seen very few really contributing posts suggesting real knowledge and experience from that individual. I expect most readers have enough common sense to understand.

And life does go on.

I rarely address nonsense such as this........ but I'm so tired of it.

You suggest that my observations etc. are nonsense and that I have no knowledge of ebay......

I've been here as long as you have..............

I'm very tired of being called STUPID by you either actually or implied.

One does not get top scholiastic honours/awards/ scholarships etc. in grad school .......... I'm not talking /province or University.......... but Nation Wide year after year if they are stupid.................

May I also suggest that those honours are rarely bestowed upon those who don't have the ability to think outside the box........... and perhaps that is the difference between us?

Please stop and perhaps we can just agree that we have different views of what makes ebay tick.

Can't we just co-exist?

[pjcdn2005]

You may consider my questions clever but they are just logical responses to your constant attacks on me ........ 

My Stalker P************.

You attack and then forget that you did and when there's a counterattack you play the victim.

I don't think so!

As far as I can see, the first post that Pierre addressed you was post 14.

He quoted you saying "" I don't think anyone ever complains because they didn't have to pay taxes for an item."

And his reply was...."If folks understood the possible ramifications, they should"

That's an attack on you? Now who is playing the victim?

I noticed that you don't have an explanation for the 2 questions that I asked you at the end of my post. Could that be because they were simply an attack and there is no reasonable explanation?

Even the way you address him is rude and is obviously done to show disrespect.

If you don't want to read his advice, take your own advice and put him on ignore.

I'm not saying that he is perfect...none of us are. Perhaps some of his responses are sharper sounding than they are meant to be but I've seen that type of response to others too......it is not all about you. 

PJ...... to me the OP doesn't make a lot of sense. and I'm simply guessing.

What does :  refusing to receive anything" mean?  I have no idea...........

Seriously? Perhaps you are playing at being confused? The original post makes it clear to me what he means by that.

how could the buyer know how the item was declared unless he did receive it?

 I don't know and I have never said that I did. 

That is also very clear in the OP . - "received an e-mail from a seller saying they were falsifying the international shipping documents sending the item as a gift and putting a lower value on the documents than what i paid and if my government caught it at the border it was my problem and not his

Any more questions?  Perhaps you owe the OP an apology for suggesting that he was trying to get a free item. There was absolutely no reason to suggest that and comments like that doesn't make it conducive for new ebayers to ask questions on these boards.

[i*m-still-here]

PJ....... 

I've already addressed most of your concerns regarding P********** above...... 🙂 and I'm not going to do so again.

As for brodreg........... to me it sounded like he may have stopped the seller before the item was actually shipped.

Also......... I did not suggest that brodreg was trying to get an item for free.

I did suggest that the original post was very unclear and one could possibly conclude that from the post.

I also invited him to clear up any and all confusion............

Until brodreg replies it's all just speculation and what is the point of beating it death with only bits and piece of the information available to us

Until he does it's all just giggerish based on incomplete knowledge isn't it?

Please stop putting words into my mouth............ (or post).

[cumos55]

Usually it is the buyer  that asks the seller to low-ball the customs declaration.

and the authorities understand that this is usually the situation.

It is the buyer that does not want to pay customs fees , and any other fees associated with receiving mail from abroad.

Here we have a seller doing something a buyer did not want to see done....

The seller has overstepped his authority  and put the buyer in a difficult situation.....

The buyer understand this  and does not want ot be part of this process....

eBay should be informed of what has happened...  and more importantly how a seller has put a buyer in a difficult situation....

[cumos55]

We come here to discuss many a situation.... 

Together a logic  comes out of a discussion...  we all learn

If I come to the conclusion  that "You are calling me DUMB"  it me and not anyone else calling me DUMB ...

[bb_cool_stuff]

I'm not saying that he is perfect....none of us are.

Hey, hey, my wife keeps reminding how perfect i am, usually the day before the credit card bills arrive.

[cumos55]

It me = it is me

[westernstargifts]

"so if there is a problem, he will be the loser, not you."

Not really.

Canadian laws are clear on the subject.  The importer (buyer) is legally responsible.

The problem could be as follows:

A Customs inspector spots a false declaration (undervalued or wrongly declared as "gift").  The parcel is reassessed for duty (if applicable) and taxes.

However, the kicker is that the importer's (buyer) name is now black listed.  Future imports may be looked upon individually creating delays.  And the same is true with the shipper. Parcels originating from the same name/address may be subect to more inspection than usual. 

It is not only a question of saving a few dollars in taxes and brokerage fee.  Well meaning (?) sellers trying to help buyers save a few dollars may ruin their reputation. Not worth it.

That is something I did not know.  Thanks for the info Pierre.

🙂

[cumos55]

If the seller has already been identified by a Customs Inspector as having falsified documents..... 

This puts the buyer on that Customs Inspector's "bad list".....  mainly because it is the buyer that usually asks for falsified documents.

Future purchases by this buyer may be delayed in customs with a subsequent possibility of having to pay  extra fees... when no extra fees are actually due

[brogreg62]

back Seems my posts were removed for some sort of violation

My first post was quite clear so i'm not sure how it sounds like i want the product and a refund

i have won the dispute and had my money refunded

i did not pick the product up so i'm assuming it was returned to sender

I have had Both the usa and canadian customs offices respond to my complaint asking me for follow up information

i have since this began ,found out this is not the only time this seller has falsified international shipping documents with the buyer having no knowledge of it

[cumos55]

Be careful with the promotion of one's credentials.. grad school, scholarships  and more

Many of the sellers here just might blow one's little collection to pieces... with their own collection of credentials and more....

[cumos55]

It is important to understand that no one here is calling anyone names...

All I see is someone self focused in front of a mirror and referring to oneself in the mirror...

[gotwhatchuneed]

Ya kind of a waste of time, best case it arrives and costs you nothing extra , worst case they open it re-evaluate the value and hit you with a bill for duty and tax. I dunno what your problem is if you win a 200 dollar item for a penny you bought it for a penny end of story it happens everyday on Ebay where someone gets an amazing deal.

The seller is quite often at a disadvantage if a buyer pays duty and tax they leave a negative. Not the sellers fault........it's not the sellers fault they get a negative because Canada post takes 6 weeks to deliver either but it happens everyday.

If you did somehow miraculously cause this buyer a federal problem for falsifying documents I'd be the first to sign his petition that Ebay made him do it because of the unfair feedback system.

[rose-dee]

i have won the dispute and had my money refunded

I have had Both the usa and canadian customs offices respond to my complaint asking me for follow up information

i have since this began ,found out this is not the only time this seller has falsified international shipping documents with the buyer having no knowledge of it

You did the right thing.  This is a matter of law, not just eBay rules, and Pierre is completely correct in saying that the importer (i.e. buyer) is liable for the consequences, despite what the seller says or thinks.  If you're lucky in such a situation, you may just get blacklisted and charged the proper duty, but if this were a very expensive or unusual item (artwork, jewellery, etc.), you might find yourself on the receiving end of a fraud investigation and possible charges. 

As a seller, I get asked many times to state a lower value on items going out of the country.  My reply is always the same -- I am sorry, that is illegal.  Those who believe they're getting away scot-free by circumventing customs will have much bigger problems than DSRs and FB to be worried about.  The seller you dealt with may think he/she is helping her DSR rating by imposing fraud on buyers, but such sellers need to be reported, and I'm glad you did.  The bottom line: if you buy from another country, expect to pay customs.  If the customs people let something through by good luck or chance, you've got a free pass that time. 

I have to say I was dismayed at the overall tone of these posts.  I'm sure the personal sniping was of no help to the OP.  Differences of opinion are one fine, but can't we keep it civil and respectful? 

[gotwhatchuneed]

I'd agree the buyer did the right thing morally and ethically but I consider a seller knocking a few dollars off the sale price  on about the same level as a person buying from a yard sale where they know the seller isn't likely going to claim the money on their income tax.

If you have the exact same item listed and one sells for 19 dollars and 80 dollars shipping and one vice versa 80 dollars and 19 dollars shipping is that not a grey area? I'm buying the one with high shipping cause I'll save atleast 40 dollars of duty, taxes and brokerage fee crap.

I just avoid the whole mess and make all my purchases under 20 dollars if buying internationally. (thats the Canadian limit before duty is charged)

Maybe it was a very substantial amount changed in which it's nicer to pay duty and have that guarantee of insurance for damage or loss, in which case I'd be upset too who knows.......