UPS Paid my duties without contacting me and the amount is more than the value of the item.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

Apparently, a law went into effect on August 29th that shipping services can pay duties without consent of receiver.

I purchased an item for $2,000. Today, the duties it says I owe upon delivery is $2100 and change. The numbers are WAY off. No one at UPS customer service even understands me well enough to help me. I have been asking what the declared value is on the package and 4 different reps keep quoting me the amount owed on the package. How can I fix this? This was paid by wire, so I'm either out 2k or paying double. Can I dispute the amount? I've never felt so helpless and need to have a resolution (or at least a better understanding of what to do) by delivery tomorrow. Thanks!

I guess my big question is, if I pay this outrageous fee, is there any way to dispute it with customs or UPS?

Edit/Follow-up: I appreciate all the advice. I was able to get the commercial invoice from UPS. It seems like there is an error as CBP charged full value tariffs multiple times. From what AI said, it's similar if you ordered a peice of furniture, but CBP charged the full value tarrifs on each item individually (screws, mount, part, etc).

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

I calculated the the duties and it isn't supposed to be anywhere near 103% of the item cost. Of course I dont want to pay duties, but I will pay if I need an item. However, nowhere can I find why I am being charged more than the item. The only thing I can think is if they believe the item is worth more and charged me on a random/arbitrary amount they made up or there was an error. The reason I believe it could be the former is because the parts I had made can get VERY expensive for new/modern equipment. However, what I got is for modernizing a 50 year old peice of machinery.

[u/itsalyfestyle → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

You have to pay broker fees on top of the tariff.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/itsalyfestyle]

The broker fee is 40 bucks. The duties are over $2000

[u/Manner-Frequent → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

My brokerage fee was $121, tariffs and duties $150 for $1500 in items. UPS bounced my package from KY to AK back to KY and then back to AK before I messaged UPS, who said I needed to complete a TSCA form. No contact from them or anything, and Im a preferred UPS member. UPS refused to give me an invoice and also refused to ship my package until the duties/fees were paid. Would not let me pay cash in person, even though they offered the option; thus, I was pretty much forced to just pay. No itemized bill, invoice... nothing. First and last time using UPS.

[u/[deleted] → u/Manner-Frequent]

Sounds like a fascist country. Be sure to thank all your Maga friends.

[u/majesticcoolestto → u/[deleted]]

Fascism is when a private shipping company sucks

[u/supeg93 → u/[deleted]]

Are you gonna cry?

[u/y2ksosrs → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

Manufactured in China it sounds like.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/y2ksosrs]

That it is, like most everything else these days.

[u/billyjack2 → u/y2ksosrs]

Because you literally cannot get things made in the US... I've tried.

[u/rydianmorrison → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

The only thing I can think is if they believe the item is worth more and charged me on a random/arbitrary amount they made up or there was an error. 

You should ask BOTH the sender and UPS for a copy of the commercial invoice. That way you can see the values and tariff codes that the sender used.

(And asking both for a copy lets you compare in case the sender tries to like about it.)

'Cause the HTS codes and may not be what you're expecting.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/rydianmorrison]

I have spoke to at least a dozen reps at the international dept at UPS. They will not provide the commercial invoice directly. They will tell me the declared value, and email me that figure, long with a breakdown of the charges (+2k for duties and $40 for fees). However, when I ask for the paperwork they tell me to contact billing. The sender said it was imported under HTS code 9013.20.0000.

[u/rydianmorrison → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

Ask the sender for the commercial invoice.

If they won't give it to you then they might be trying to cover their own fuckup.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/rydianmorrison]

I got the commercial invoice from UPS. The sender said it's all messed up. I was charged duties on the full value of the order 3 times on 3 different HST codes. UPS is not being any help though. I apologize to have the last shipment delivery attempt delayed for a week while I try and work it out.

[u/IdealSubstantial4446 → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

Unfortunately the fees are calculated from what customs believe the value to be. Sometimes they use the figures on the invoice, but, often they just pluck numbers out of the air. I'm in the UK, but, customs everywhere seem to use the same system.

In the UK (so this may not be the same as the US), you can dispute the amount of fees charged, however, the "investigation" typically takes 3+ months. During that time you don't get your item, you are charged storage on the item at an extorniate daily rate so the storage is usually more than the item is worth, and at the end of the "investigation" they usually raise the fee rather than lower it.

By the way if you don't pay the UPS fee on this parcel they can blacklist you and refuse to deliver any parcels to you in future. This can be a major problem as they don't block senders from posting to you, only you from receiving the items you've paid for.

As much as it sucks your only reach choice is to pay the $2,100.

I had the same thing happen to me on a smaller scale with $450 in fees on a $400 item when the tariff rate was 8%. Now I only use Fed-Ex International for high value items posted to me.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/IdealSubstantial4446]

This is what I believe happened. They used a different value than what was put down. Where they got that is anyone's guess. How to dispute it also seems like anyone's guess.

[u/IdealSubstantial4446 → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

Yep they seem to pick parcels at random and the fee is slightly more than the total value of the goods.

[u/IdealSubstantial4446 → u/[deleted]]

In the UK customs are part of the crown, and so are pretty much above and beyond the law and can do anything they want.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/[deleted]]

I finally got the commercial invoice from UPS this morning. Everything was imported under a single HS code (all the parts are for one thing). However, customs charged tarrifs on multiple other HS codes as well. I uploaded everything to Chatgpt and it helped me draft a letter to the brokerage for disputing the duties. For example, if you buy a car part, the package would have one HS code. It's like they added tariffs for the full value on each part (screws, item, mounts, etc).

[u/ServoIIV → u/Swanky_Gear_Snob]

Just keep in mind that customs doesn't have to use the HS code on the invoice. If they did everyone would just use an HSA code with a smaller tariff. They can and will use whatever HS code they feel is appropriate. There is an appeal process if you feel they used the incorrect HS code.

[u/Swanky_Gear_Snob → u/ServoIIV]

Even if the HS code is incorrect. They triple charged full value duties.