I’m so upset right now and about to cry

[Disgruntleddaisydot]

I didn’t know where to put this but I hope this gains some traction and I can have some advice. Even if it’s just a hand hold. My friend moved to Australia a few years ago after she got married and this year for Christmas she’s sent me a parcel full of goodies (it’s my first Christmas without my mum as well so she sent me a few things to cheer me up)

Parcel force want me to pay for them to deliver it the last few miles but the thing is - I can’t. Money is almost non existent lately and Im worried the parcel will be sent back

Im feeling sick just thinking about it. My friend’s lovely gift being sent back will be the thing that hurts most

You haven't given enough info for us to help.
Did you get a text or an email?
What was the number/ email address it came from?
Was the correct tracking number anywhere in the message?
What did the message say?
Have you entered the details into a scam checker?

So you don't know that you can't afford it yet?

I'd just hang about and wait for the letter, as I can't see it costing a fortune.

I get money's tight, but they don't send the parcel back immediately, so there'll be time to save.

From memory it's about £12.

It's a bit like pulling teeth but I'm assuming her friend who's tracking it might've told her.

God this is like pulling teeth.

Parcel force want me to pay for them to deliver it the last few miles

Hiw do you know this? Who has contacted you to tell you this? How did they contact you?

@Disgruntleddaisydot if I was your friend in Australia, and I realised that there was a customs fee that I hadn't anticipated, I would pay it for you and accept it as part of the cost of international shipping.

Just contact your friend and ask her what the tracking says as you’ve received this message and see what she says . Honestly @Disgruntleddaisydot you need to be a bit proactive .

How did you find out you'd receive a letter OP?

I had this happen recently. Parcelforce sent me a letter, I got it about 2 working days later, I had to pay duty on the item, which was about 20% of the value stated on the custom documentation you have to put on the outside of the parcel, plus their fee, which was about 12 pounds.

The item I bought cost $230 dollars. I had to pay a total of about 60 pounds in duty and charges to get it delivered. If I hadn't paid the parcel would have eventually been returned to the sender.

very odd - if its parcel force your friend would have had to pay the correct amount to post it in the first place. If its something which has customs VAT due then again, she would be contacted about it, not you

It's the recipient of the parcel that pays the duty/fees, not the sender. It applies to anything over a cost of about £120.

Well when you get official notification of charges you contact your friend and tell her you can't afford to pay, so unfortunately it will be on its way back to her. Your friend will likely apologise profusely for any misunderstanding and transfer the money to you, as she would not want you to pay for a gift.

It doesn't need to be any more complicated, surely?

If she is such a lovely friend then surely you can just message her and say that parcelforce want you to pay a fee and check it’s correct. And if I was that friend I would pay that fee. If it was a stranger I could understand the awkwardness a little bit but not a good friend?

I bought a very expensive handbag from Italy, also had to pay duty/fees when that was delivered. I decided not to keep it, sent it back for a refund...which I got after about 6 weeks.

2 months later the bag was delivered back to me. The seller hadn't picked it up from Italian customs (no idea why). I wasn't paying to send it back again, so I've waited for them to get in touch with me. That was 8 months ago and still not heard a thing.

Sounds like a scam, speak to your friend

customs charges

@Disgruntleddaisydot - You need to find out if it is a scam or not. You really need to ask your friend if the tracking shows customs and vat are due on the parcel or not. This could be genuine, or it could be a scam ( lots of Scams of this variety around). But you need to check before you can know for sure

@Disgruntleddaisydot See also here, which explains it more, if it is genuine
www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

No advice but wanted to say sorry about your mum OP. It’s hard at this time of year.

Your friend sounds really lovely.

It really does depend on how they have contacted you. We have family in Australia and unfortunately, sometimes, if they put the value of the goods on the declaration form as over £36 then you can be subject to a customs charge.

A legitimate parcel force charge will have been sent to you through the post. It's usually like on of those 'sorry we missed you' cards but it is grey rather than red.

If they've texted or emailed you, with a link, then I'm 100% sure it's a scam.

I'm always put slightly on guard by threads like this, especially around Christmas. Scant detail and getting any is like pulling teeth, no money, etc... Though there do seem to have been far fewer begging threads the last couple of years.

OP, get your friend to look at the tracking. it really doesn't seem likely that parcel force need to be paid to drive a few extra miles.

If you are put on guard, you are welcome to report the thread. But it's not very helpful to suggest that a thread is a begging thread like this. I'm sure @Disgruntleddaisydot just wants some empathy.

@Disgruntleddaisydot find out the situation first, then there may be a way forward for you.

I dont understand. You say PF want you to pay them to deliver it last few miles, but then you say they are delivering it now?

I have to say I agree.

I didn't say that though, did I? I said that when I read threads like this I am on guard. Not that OP is begging for money.

You’re panicking OP, I do the same so send sympathies!

Wait and see how much it is first and then think about how to sort the £15 or so when the time comes. If you start a thread on here (when you know how much it is) asking for ideas I bet you’ll get some good ones.