Quarantine processing fee

Jonnymac · Post by **Jonnymac** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:12 am

Hey there,
Wondering if anyone has copped this before. I ordered some rearset replacement parts from china got here no problems.
But two weeks later I get a quarantine processing fee from DHL for $47.00. Am I obliged to pay it? What are the consequences if I don't?
I called them up and they just said quarantine checked it and charged us that much for it so as a company we decide to pass the bill on.
Who knows? have they checked it? Is that what they charge to check it or is most of that admin fees from DHL?
Isn't quarantine something we pay our taxes for? I sure pay enough of them!!!!
I've heard of import tax over $1000 but this was marked as $25

Any thoughts¿?

tim · Post by **tim** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:22 am

Seems the thing to do is to request they send you the quarantine invoice and it might all go away if they can't provide that.....

Read here:
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1361647

And here's a blurb from a random page:

DHL Australian scamming people with fake quarantine fees

Unless DHL provide a copy of the quarantine invoice or a customs number they’re just playing their usual ‘bill the customer and hope they pay’ bluff.

They’ve been doing this for years, and basically all you need to do is to call them and politely explain that you will pay the quarantine fees when they can provide documentation proving that it was quarantined.

dilligaf · Post by **dilligaf** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:32 pm

report them to consumer affairs
http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256EB5 ... me~&2=~&3=~

large · Post by **large** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:55 pm

If you order parts from OS in the future and DHL is the carrier, they hold the parts until you pay this bill??????

I've never encountered anything like this and I've bought stuff from the UK and Hong Kong.

Personally, I'd tell 'em to fuck off. That shit would have been in the original freight cost had it been legit.

I'll call scam.

spud80 · Post by **spud80** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:32 pm

I use to work for DHL, it was a little over 6 years ago now though. I never heard of quarantine charges unless they found something suspect and had to spray/treat it. Usually the customer would be contacted before this happened though. I would ask for the receipt from quarantine before I paid anything.

loubre · Post by **loubre** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:47 pm

I work for DHL, customs, quarantine and DHL use a shared system where the one number is used across all agencies for tracking purposes, as far as I am aware there is only a charge if the goods entering are declared as being used or having plant matter etc then quarantine will demand an inspection and/or fumigation, have checked with the guy here who looks after that division and he even stated that the amount of $47 was not correct anyway, minimum charge is actually $45 + gst = $49.50

dilligaf · Post by **dilligaf** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 6:40 pm

So maybe its a scam by someone pretending to be DHL?

smithy5 · Post by **smithy5** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:06 pm

Hurt them in the hip pocket and check with your supplier first as to who they use for shipping.....
If they say DHL, say, sorry i'll purchase elsewhere.........
Won't take long for this to go away enough people do it..........

Jonnymac · Post by **Jonnymac** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:10 pm

The actual charge was $43 plus gst which brought it up to $47.30. I called them up again after doing a bit more reading on the link above. They have said they cannot provide a separate invoice or quarantine number as quarantine check lots of random items then just give them a total bill and they split it between the checked items and add an admin fee. I asked how much of it is admin and they said they wouldn't tell me.
I stated that it was aluminium and not any kind of plant/ timber/extract so why was it even " so called checked"
They have now said they will have someone contact me and they may waive it!
It's defiantly DHL not a scam company but I rekon there just double dipping and trying to get people who just pay without question to pay.
The stupid thing is if there was anything that was legit about it they wouldn't have released the part over two weeks ago!

un_majstk · Post by **un_majstk** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:56 pm

while not exactly the same, i've worked at customs postal ops (Clyde) screening items along side quarantine. never charged anyone for the search.
issued fines, fees for heat treatment etc, but not just for a search.

Jonnymac · Post by **Jonnymac** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:05 am

Thanks for all the info peeps. I've come to the conclusion there just trying it on and attempting to get some cream on the top. There is heaps of info if you google it and
it all seems to be for $47.30!
Suffice to say I will be doing my best to never use DHL again and would encourage everyone to do the same!
I'm wondering if I report it to consumer affairs.....

tim · Post by **tim** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:19 am

Jonnymac wrote:Thanks for all the info peeps. I've come to the conclusion there just trying it on and attempting to get some cream on the top. There is heaps of info if you google it and
it all seems to be for $47.30!
Suffice to say I will be doing my best to never use DHL again and would encourage everyone to do the same!
I'm wondering if I report it to consumer affairs.....

Report it!

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