Thread: heads up - DHL Scam

If these fees were bona-fide they would have to be paid before the goods were released.

If you look at the AQIS site they say that they charge DHL by the hour for inspection and it works out at about $17 per shipment. It looks like DHL add a $30 "handling" charge.

AQIS does randomly inspect and I had one shipment from Autopost in UK inspected, and I was charged the $47. That turned out to be the least of my worries as the cam was faulty GRRRRR.

The package was obviously opened and was resealed with "DHL" tape, so it was inspected.

I have now emailed LR Direct ( who I mainly deal with) and told them of the scam and suggested they put some weight on DHL to average the charges across all shipments as it would only be a dollar or so, AFAIK FEDEX and UPS do not do it. Also any mail items have a permanent inspector there so you do not get charged.
I suggest you all email the companies you mainly use and suggest they put pressure on DHL as they are the account holders .
Regards Philip A

I too recently paid the $47 DHL charge. A lady from DHLrang up after I had paid it and said that payment had not gone through. No way I was going to pay another $47 dollars so gave her my receipt number over the phone. T'is a crap thing. Not sure it its legit or not (but even with the DHL payment, my bits from the Uk were still $200 cheaper than oz).