HELP!!! I sent a bag to australia buyer and customs wants to DESTROY THE BAG!!!

itsonly4me

itsonly4me

Oskar Waltz
O.G.
May 8, 2007
8,561
8
#1
I just got this letter from my buyer in australia. I shipped her an AUTHENTIC Louis Vuitton bag(of course)

"HI Rachel,

I have some horrible news, Customs have seized the bag & are claiming it needs to be destroyed!!!! I have a letter from them today, I need to know the following from you,

What value did you put on it ? US$?
What did you tick on the customs letter - GIFT? GOODS?

They are also claiming its fake!! This is why they want to destroy it. Can I call you???

I can't loose this bag and even more the money! God!
Please help me!! Do you have a receipt for the bag??

Please anything you can do here. I am very upset & extremely distraught. "



What can I do?!!?
 
#2
O... M.. F.. G. You need some advice from the AUSSIE girls as to how to handle customs. I also wonder if a letter of auth to provide to customs would help you..??
 
#7
Guaranteed Delivery Date: January 25, 2010
Class: Express Mail International®
Status: Into Foreign Customs

Your item is being processed by customs in AUSTRALIA. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later.





Enter Label/Receipt Number.

Enter Label / Receipt Number.





Detailed Results:

Into Foreign Customs, January 24, 2010, 8:53 am, AUSTRALIA
Arrived Abroad, January 24, 2010, 8:52 am, AUSTRALIA
International Dispatch, January 20, 2010, 11:41 pm, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
Arrival
 
#8
i find this strange...customs do not destroy property unless it brings something to the country that is considered dangerous under the quarantine laws.
as far as i know customs doesn't destroy property because is fake. they are more interested in drug smuggling and ilicit animal imports than fakes.
i have received countless parcels and before i joined TPF an good chloe replica...i went through customs with no probs. the only parcels they ever opened were the ones coming from southamerica.
ask her to send you a copy of the customs letter...it sounds a bit dodgy.
here is the customs australia info in restricted imports:
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4369.asp
buying goods over the internet:
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4369.asp
she might be trying to claim INR but she'll have to proof that customs did seize the bag.
her questions are strange, if they seize the bag as a fake why would it matter what price you declare?
hope more aussie girls with more knowledge will chime in.
 
#9
pukasonqo said:
i find this strange...customs do not destroy property unless it brings something to the country that is considered dangerous under the quarantine laws.
as far as i know customs doesn't destroy property because is fake. they are more interested in drug smuggling and ilicit animal imports than fakes.
i have received countless parcels and before i joined TPF an good chloe replica...i went through customs with no probs. the only parcels they ever opened were the ones coming from southamerica.
ask her to send you a copy of the customs letter...it sounds a bit dodgy.
here is the customs australia info in restricted imports:
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4369.asp
buying goods over the internet:
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4369.asp
she might be trying to claim INR but she'll have to proof that customs did seize the bag.
her questions are strange, if they seize the bag as a fake why would it matter what price you declare?
hope more aussie girls with more knowledge will chime in.
Click to expand...

Thank you for taking the time to write that..... I will ask her to take a pic of this 'letter' and see what happens. Thank you!! :biggrin:
 
#11
Hmmmm...... yes, also did cross my mind as to a scam. I'd contact AU customs IO4M and ask some questions. Maybe not about the item being counterfeit, but just that you have been notified by the recipient that the package is still being held and see if there is a problem....??
 
#12
Australian customs will destory any counterfeit merchandise they recieve. It is illegal in Australia to purchase counterfeit goods, so your buyer could be in a lot of trouble if customs think the bag is fake. This might be why she is so distressed.

Has she sent you a copy of the letter she recieved from customs?

Try to get proof that the bag is authentic baased on your auction photos, and see if this is enough proof for her to send to customs. Or a receipt would be good, if they will accept that.

I am in Australia and would happily call customs to find out what their policy is on this, but your buyer might be the best person to do so, there will be a contact number on the letter they sent her. If she follows their process she will have no problems - although it's understandable that you and her would both be terrified right now. Keep us informed, and customs will not destory the bag right away, by sending the leter it looks like they have questions baout it first before they destroy it, so the bag is safe at the moment. It is authentic so you need tofind out how to they want you to prove that to make customs release it.

I have never heard of this happening before, and so all advice above is guesswork.

however, counterfeit goods are illegal which is why if customs are suspicious they will inestigate. They may just be doing a random check, but there will be advice in the letter your buyer recieved about how to proceed. She will have a chance to prove it is authentic, and both yourself and the buyer will be provided the opportunity to prove your innocence. I am sorry I can't tell you ho to do that, but I do know that you will be able to.

This is from the customs website: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Buying_on_the_internet.pdf

Pirated and counterfeit goods​
Copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting are illegal. If you
buy pirated or counterfeit items over the Internet or bring this
material into the country with you, you could face civil litigation or​
criminal prosecution.

 
#13
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got this from the buyer: I asked them how they would "know" its not authentic.


Hi Rachel,

I have spoken to Customs & they sent the bag the Louis Vuitton & Louis Vuitton have stated its fake.

Anita


PS there is NO WAY IN HECK that the bag is fake!
 
#15
I would be sure the buyer has a phone number to contact them and give them the auction number of the purchase... you as the seller may have to fax or email copies of receipts.

Customs can do this to find out if the value has been lowered for the buyer to avoid duties, (which is $900.00 Aud per person on an import) dont panic.

The site states.........General goods
If you are aged 18 years or over, you can bring up to A$900 worth of general goods into Australia duty-free. If you are under 18 years of age there is a A$450 limit. General goods include gifts, souvenirs, cameras, electronic equipment, leather goods, perfume concentrates, jewellery, watches and sporting equipment.

Tell the buyer to explain you may have ticket the wrong box on the declaration if it was marked gift as you had posted several packages that day within your own country....

http://www.customs.gov.au/ I am sure they will not destroy a bag untill it is sorted out

All the best to you both!
 
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