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Postage scam?
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PlainName:
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
TomKatt:
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.
mendip_discovery:
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.
Stray Electron:
  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 they completely destroyed the original.   >:(

  So, yes, "postage due" IS a scam in my experience with the US Postal Service!
PlainName:

--- Quote ---Why not contact the shipper?
--- End quote ---

I don't know who that is. Or what this is.


--- Quote ---You should be able to go to the post office and ask to see the item.
--- End quote ---

Yes, that seems quite sensible :)
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