ParcelHero Overcharge Scam

Turningitround

I recently used the site ParcelHero to send a large heavy parcel. The total cost of the send was £130. Everything went well. It's now a week later and I got an email from them stating that the dimensions of the parcel were not what I'd originally said. this difference amounts to £18 - seems ok so far.

However, they are also charging £182 "oversize fee" plus VAT!

They said I can appeal if I have pictures of the original parcel's dimensions

This bring the ADDITIONAL extra to £240. An absurd amount. They have taken the money from my original payment card (my credit card) this morning.

What can I do? I'm at my wits end

SiliconChip

Well, you can tell your bank that the additional payment was unauthorised and they may cancel it. But that doesn't mean you don't owe the money, so you'll need to read the ParcelHero T&Cs to see what they say about oversize charge, and you'll also need to determine whether you did in fact get the dimensions wrong. Do you have the pictures that they have mentioned?

Turningitround

I don't have pictures of the parcel with a tape measure on each side. The parcel, according to them, was single digits of a percent larger than they claim. Amounting to an undercharge of £18. Can they then legitimately charge an additional £222 on top of that? Seems grossly unreasonable to me - to the point of it being a scam

£130 to send originally
£18 difference
£222 additional charges

Surely there's something I can do?

marcia_

 As the previous poster said, report to your bank as unauthorised 

pinkshoes

Speak to your bank as others have already said and report the unauthorised transaction.

I would also then speak to ParcelHero (and follow up in writing), and tell them that the parcel WAS the exact dimensions specified, and if they therefore have proof that it was BIGGER than specified, you welcome their evidence and will happily pay the additional £18 if they can prove otherwise.

If they are charging you extra, they need to prove it. 

You have said you don't have photos of parcel against a measuring tape, but not once in your posts have you mentioned that it was NOT bigger than you claimed. Are you absolutely certain you got the dimensions right? Is it possible that ParcelHero are correct?

Also, did you check it fits with their "volumetric weight" rules, as you said it was VERY heavy?
https://www.parcelhero.com/en-gb/support/volumetric-weight-calculator

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

OP what size did you enter and what size do they claim the parcel was?

As above OP if you entered the correct size and weight then go back and ask them to demonstrate it was bigger (they won't) and dispute any charges with the card provider. 

Some couriers will automatically check the size of the parcel at a point in the network, on occasion two parcels can end up being scanned together. 

visidigi

The extra fee is likely because the size of the package couldn't go on the service you bought - it pushed the package over the capability of the automation process for example.

Its all going to be down to terms and proof.

jon81uk

The £182 surcharge is listed here Courier Prices & Surcharges - Our Delivery Costs | ParcelHero®

Carrier name	Surcharge name	length	2nd longest side	weight	length + Girth combined	Surcharge per package	Other conditions

UPS

Overlimits surcharge

274 cm

70 kg

400 cm

£182.00

Any item not fully encased in a wood, cardboard or metal shipping container.

I assume it went with UPS and was bigger than 274cm or 400cm length and girth combined.

DullGreyGuy

Almost certainly the T&Cs you agreed to will state that you are authorising them to automatically take payment if you have incorrectly declared the details of your parcel. You can follow other's advise and tell your bank it was unauthorised but on the surface of it this would be a lie (aka fraud).

You need to ask for the evidence your dimensions/weight was incorrect, they will often ultimately send you an image from the automatic weigher/measuring machine the couriers use. The one time it happened to me the photo clearly showed a second parcel (not mine) was up against mine and had been included in the dimensions. Was relatively easy to resolve if not very quick.

Turningitround

jon81uk said:

The £182 surcharge is listed here

Carrier name	Surcharge name	length	2nd longest side	weight	length + Girth combined	Surcharge per package	Other conditions

UPS

Overlimits surcharge

274 cm

70 kg

400 cm

£182.00

Any item not fully encased in a wood, cardboard or metal shipping container.

I assume it went with UPS and was bigger than 274cm or 400cm length and girth combined.

It did go by UPS, but it was 95x61x45cm and 45Kg

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Turningitround said:

jon81uk said:

The £182 surcharge is listed here

Carrier name	Surcharge name	length	2nd longest side	weight	length + Girth combined	Surcharge per package	Other conditions

UPS

Overlimits surcharge

274 cm

70 kg

400 cm

£182.00

Any item not fully encased in a wood, cardboard or metal shipping container.

I assume it went with UPS and was bigger than 274cm or 400cm length and girth combined.

It did go by UPS, but it was 95x61x45cm and 45Kg

What size are they saying the parcel is OP?