Can Customs Duty Tax Affect Credit?

DontTrustControlAccount

Recently I was overcharged by FedEx for a package sent to me from the USA. The bill I was given by FedEx was for import costs and tax. 

I saw in a few places online that since the payment is made on behalf of you to HMRC (For the taxes, import, etc) by FedEx, you don't really have to pay FedEx because you did not agree for them to pay it for you. And if you don't pay it, they would normally just charge the sender. 

So as I originally stated above, I was overcharged. While I was discussing the matter with FedEx about their calculations, I ended up paying it anyway. Some time later, I received letters from ControlAccount claiming that I owe them money on behalf of FedEx. The invoice was a completely different price, and the letter had grammatical and spelling errors, so I instantly didn't trust it. 

After looking online, I found that this ControlAccount company has nothing but 1 star reviews. On TrustPilot and other places, they have in fact given themselves 5 star reviews to fake their ratings. You can see this on TrustPilot in particular where it shows 'INVITED' reviews. 

So currently they are trying to extort me for money by sending letter after letter. I have also reported the company to FedEx and trade standards, etc. I even emailed them directly with legal requests to stop contacting me and to close their case, as I had already paid FedEx. And in fact, FedEx owes ME money for the overcharging. 

I also read online that ignoring ControlAccount will cause a bad credit score rating. Is this true? Their claim that I owe debt to them is false and I have all the evidence of this with FedEx anyway. What could possibly justify a scam company being able to affect my credit score? ControlAccount is a bully company trying to trick people like me into paying their invoices, which increase every time. 

[Deleted User]

If they get a CCJ, it would appear on your credit files, which may or may not affect your credit score.

Sandtree

If they go to small claims court and win then that’d show on your file.

Do you think debt collectors get high scores generally on review sites?

sourcrates

It’s not a credit debt, so will not appear on your credit file.

They don’t get legal either, these type of people want quick money, and fast turnover, after running through there series of standard template letters, they will move on.

You are responcible for paying the duty, but they tend to be small amounts of money which HMRC decline to chase, so use debt collectors instead.

MinuteNoodles

DontTrustControlAccount said:

I saw in a few places online that since the payment is made on behalf of you to HMRC (For the taxes, import, etc) by FedEx, you don't really have to pay FedEx because you did not agree for them to pay it for you. And if you don't pay it, they would normally just charge the sender.

Yeah, doesn't work like that as you've found out. The taxes and duties have to be paid by the recipient unless they've been paid IN ADVANCE by the sender.

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad

If the sender hasn't paid the duties when they send the item then the liability falls squarely on the recipients shoulders. The rules are made by HMRC that if you take receipt of the parcel you do have to pay the courier so that all that absolute unadulerated "freeman of the land" rubbish you posted about "not having to pay the courier because you didn't agree for them to pay it for you" is just that, utter rubbish.

phillw

DontTrustControlAccount said:

I even emailed them directly with legal requests to stop contacting me and to close their case, as I had already paid FedEx. And in fact, FedEx owes ME money for the overcharging. 
 

Did they overcharge you, or did they charge you an amount that you don't think is fair?
It's kinda annoying that the courier charge you for taking the parcel to HMRC and also charge you vat on the total delivery charge. But that is what they have to do.
If you refuse to pay the duty then they can ask the sender to pay it, but they aren't under any obligation to do that unless you entered a contract that said they would (and then I would have expected them to pay it upfront). If they refuse to pay it and also refuse to pay for the parcel to be returned to them, then it would be destroyed. I don't think you would have a clear case for getting a refund in that circumstance.
If the package gets released before the duty is charged, then I don't see why the sender would want to get involved in paying anything & it's now your debt.

Malkytheheed

Sounds like you are trying to get away without paying the duties you rightfully owe. Just pay them. End of. 

sourcrates

On further investiagtion it appears they are fedex`s tame debt collector of choice, appointed by them to chase bad debt.

If you believe their claim to be false, then you have done the correct thing by complaining, although make certain they realise its a complaint, contact details here -

https://ask.fedex.com/help/en-gb/account-payments/Control-account

MEM62

Control Account collect debts for FedEx so it is hardly surprising that they are not awarded a 5-star rating is it? 
On what basis do you believe you were overcharged?