Import fee scam? CCL (Customs Clearance Ltd)

varyat

LNXP/CCL/GLS/Lenton Group Scam       NFRC240706758903

Import duties

• February 2024:  Purchased Baroque sideboard console from LNXP (Germany) via Bay for £314.28 including postage and packing.
• Feb 29th console delivered - no problems. No fees demanded.
• March: Message from LNXP (via Ebay), asking for me to pay £65 for shipping and import fee with an invoice attached from the alleged handling company  CCL (Customs Clearance Ltd. Feltham, Middx).
• Replied to LNXP stating that I did not understand why I was being asked for import duty when the item in question had already been released and delivered.
• LNXP kept sending emails requesting payment.  I replied that I did not know what they were asking for as I had received the goods.
• April: Emails stopped
• June: Emails started again from LNXP (via Ebay), threatening legal action if I did not pay £65 via Paypal or Bank transfer.  I was asked for my email address directly which I refused to divulge and said that I would not be doing any transactions with them as I thought they were scamming me.
• Separately, I decided to contact CCL by telephone and was greeted with an answerphone message requesting my email address which I stupidly provided.
• Since then, CCL have been harassing me for £58.02 for import fees.  I again replied that I had received the goods and did not understand what the payment was for.  In exasperation I agreed to make payment. I was asked to pay via bank transfer.  I offered to pay via bank cheque or postal order to keep my bank details secure.  I was told that this was unacceptable under their company policy to which they asked for a cash transfer.
• I replied saying that I thought they were a scam.
• I attempted to contact their accounts dept (0208 231 0900 and 07753457927) and expecting a corporate greeting, I was greeted by a generic ‘hello’. When asked where I was calling, he said he was from CCL China office to which I decided to hang up.
• I reported all this to my bank and blocked all emails.
• Since then I have received mysterious pop ups on my mobile phone together with a load of emojis which then disappeared.  Subsequent pop up appeared from Lenton Group with a suspicious link which immediately disappeared.  Having checked CCL, it appears to be a part o the Lenton Group.
• Presently awaiting advice on how to proceed.

screech_78

Oh dear. 

You are responsible for checking any import fees before buying from overseas. 

This isn’t a scam. It’s very common for couriers to deliver items before sending you a bill. They have already paid this on your behalf and now you owe them. 

Not something to start messing about with. You won’t win. 

PHK

They are a well known genuine company with a multi million pound turnover and authorised by HMRC. 

user1977

varyat said:

I was asked to pay via bank transfer.  I offered to pay via bank cheque or postal order to keep my bank details secure.  

Why on earth do you think your bank details would have been made insecure by you making a bank transfer?

In any event, nothing you have said suggests this is a scam.

How much duty do you think you were due to pay on the item you imported, and what alternative arrangements had you made to pay it?

PHK

user1977 said:

varyat said:

I was asked to pay via bank transfer.  I offered to pay via bank cheque or postal order to keep my bank details secure.  

Why on earth do you think your bank details would have been made insecure by you making a bank transfer?

In any event, nothing you have said suggests this is a scam.

How much duty do you think you were due to pay on the item you imported, and what alternative arrangements had you made to pay it?

Agreed, also, sending a cheque would have given them not only the bank details but the OPs signature!

Pollycat

varyat said:

• Presently awaiting advice on how to proceed.

Advice from whom?
An official legal source or from posters on here who probably have no legal experience?

Didn't you expect to pay any import fees?
(another unintended consequence of Brexit)

MattMattMattUK

varyat said:

LNXP/CCL/GLS/Lenton Group Scam       NFRC240706758903

Import duties

• February 2024:  Purchased Baroque sideboard console from LNXP (Germany) via Bay for £314.28 including postage and packing.
• Feb 29th console delivered - no problems. No fees demanded.
• March: Message from LNXP (via Ebay), asking for me to pay £65 for shipping and import fee with an invoice attached from the alleged handling company  CCL (Customs Clearance Ltd. Feltham, Middx).
• Replied to LNXP stating that I did not understand why I was being asked for import duty when the item in question had already been released and delivered.
• LNXP kept sending emails requesting payment.  I replied that I did not know what they were asking for as I had received the goods.
• April: Emails stopped
• June: Emails started again from LNXP (via Ebay), threatening legal action if I did not pay £65 via Paypal or Bank transfer.  I was asked for my email address directly which I refused to divulge and said that I would not be doing any transactions with them as I thought they were scamming me.
• Separately, I decided to contact CCL by telephone and was greeted with an answerphone message requesting my email address which I stupidly provided.
• Since then, CCL have been harassing me for £58.02 for import fees.  I again replied that I had received the goods and did not understand what the payment was for.  In exasperation I agreed to make payment. I was asked to pay via bank transfer.  I offered to pay via bank cheque or postal order to keep my bank details secure.  I was told that this was unacceptable under their company policy to which they asked for a cash transfer.
• I replied saying that I thought they were a scam.
• I attempted to contact their accounts dept (0208 231 0900 and 07753457927) and expecting a corporate greeting, I was greeted by a generic ‘hello’. When asked where I was calling, he said he was from CCL China office to which I decided to hang up.
• I reported all this to my bank and blocked all emails.
• Since then I have received mysterious pop ups on my mobile phone together with a load of emojis which then disappeared.  Subsequent pop up appeared from Lenton Group with a suspicious link which immediately disappeared.  Having checked CCL, it appears to be a part o the Lenton Group.
• Presently awaiting advice on how to proceed.

They have told you what the fees are for, customs charges. Likely the VAT, the VAT on £314.28 is £62.86, with a small fee on top for processing. 

Pay, before they take you to court and obtain a CCJ.

prowla

If the item was made in the EU then Import Duty is not applicable and so the fees must be for VAT.

However, popups seem a bit dodgey.

If they do proceed with court action to recover the debt then ignoring their messages could lead to a finding against you.

DullGreyGuy

As the order was over £135 the importation costs are yours to pay by default. Customs dont want to be holding millions of parcels in storage waiting for people to pay up etc and so the Postal Services Act allows couriers to pay the customs charges on behalf of the recipient and levy a fee for both doing the paperwork and providing you with credit for the fees. 

VAT, and purchase tax before it, has been payable on imports by the importer since the taxes were created so this is unfortunately ignorance on your part rather than the fault of anyone else. It'd be advisable to settle your debts before additional fees for collection are added

sheramber

prowla said:

If the item was made in the EU then Import Duty is not applicable and so the fees must be for VAT.

However, popups seem a bit dodgey.

If they do proceed with court action to recover the debt then ignoring their messages could lead to a finding against you.

Customs Duty

You’ll be charged Customs Duty on all goods sent from outside the UK (or the UK and the EU if you’re in Northern Ireland) if they’re either:

• excise goods
• worth more than £135

If you’re charged Customs Duty, you’ll need to pay it on both:

• the price paid for the goods
• postage, packaging and insurance

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

Ectophile

I offered to pay via bank cheque or postal order to keep my bank details secure.

Look at any of your cheques.  It will have your name, the bank you are with, your sort code and account number, all conveniently printed on it.