Customs wants to destroy my Genuine goods, help please!

carolvallone

Hello! I bought a original refurbished (used) Apple Iphone 6 in the beggining of the year. The phone arrived within 20 days in Ireland, but was never delivered. A month passed and I never even received a letter to explain what happened. I then contacted loads of An Post offices, till one of them gave me the email for Dublin Mail Centre (the customs). Sent them a messege which was replied saying that they thought the goods were counterfeit and were going to be destroyed, and asked me to contact the seller for refund. The problem is: I researched videos online before buying it, and I saw a few videos of people who bought from the same seller and showing the phones were acctually original phones. I contacted DMC again, several times in fact, saying I did not agree with that, but they always sent me the exact same ****ty email. I gave up saying NO to the distruction and asked them to send an official letter to my house proving that the goods were counterfeit and received an official letter saying I had the option of rejecting the destruction and get the Rights Holder (Apple) to contact me about the situation. I'm now very pissed off with the irish customs and revenue, that tried to hide from me that I had the option of denying it, after several emails I sent to them telling I wanted the item to be delivered and I wanted proofs if it was counterfeit. In the letter I received, it says the Rights Holder 'may contact me to clarify the situation'. My question is: within houw many days if they dont reply me, or the customs, would the phone ever be released to me? Did that ever happened to someone here?
This situation is so unfair!

L1011

Your options are quite explicitly outlined in the letter - you need Apple to verify the phone is genuine or else it will be destroyed. They will not deliver it unless you do that.

You need to look at obtaining a chargeback from your payment card provider.

fritzelly

The customs guys are well versed in how to spot a fake - they don't do it lightly
Looking at a few videos online to prove the seller is real is hardly proof definite they are genuine and they are put up for the exact same reason you decided to buy from the seller (to con people) - not everything on the internet is real

Not knowing how you paid, credit card, paypal etc, you should initiate a chargeback/refund and forward the documentation from customs to prove your case if necessary

dudara

Moved to Online Buying & Auctions

dudara

VonZan

What site did you purchase from? Plenty of goods get opened out of curiosity more than anything else but low value iPhones are an obvious red flag for customs. If it's genuine then the seller will be able to get the IEMI and contact Apple to get it verified.

CeilingFly

1 - customs contact details for am post are available online. 10 seconds of Google search would give you that.

2. - Where's your proof that it is genuine?

fritzelly

CeilingFly wrote: »

1 - customs contact details for am post are available online. 10 seconds of Google search would give you that.

2. - Where's your proof that it is genuine?

1. They give you the contact details, but easier to newly register on a forum declaring how customs are so wrong about your not fake iphone you paid a fortune for

2. Refer point 1

whiterebel

MOD: @ CeilingFly and fritzelly. OP wasn't asking for contact details if you read the post. It must be a sickening moment when you're told that something you have bought is fake and to be destroyed, so lets try to keep it relevant to the OPs questions.

Kolido

Following this with great interest.

In a situation like this, shouldnt it be up to customs to prove its fake or is it up to the buyer to prove its genuine?

the_syco

L1011 wrote: »

Your options are quite explicitly outlined in the letter - you need Apple to verify the phone is genuine or else it will be destroyed. They will not deliver it unless you do that.

IMO, the IMEI number probably came back as a non-Apple product. Have come across some very good fake, that ended just being Android phones with an Apple theme/look to the OS on them.

OP; perhaps ask customs why they think the phone is fake?

carolvallone

This is the link of the seller:
pt.aliexpress.com/item/Unlocked-Apple-iPhone-6-4G-LTE-Cell-phones-1GB-RAM-16-64-128GB-iOS-4-7/32826823890.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.MWMH5X

The people in the videos were brazilian people, not chinese. They showed on the camera the IMEI and then verified it online, and it was always original.

I sent several emails to the customs asking them to verify the IMEI of the phone and send me the proof that is was counterfeit, but they never properly answered my emails. They always sent the same standard email. Are they really allowed by law to do that without giving me a proper proof, just wishing I will believe in their words???

I tried to open a dispute, but aliexpress did not give me the refund, the seller sent a invoice saying the phone was original. And I paid through western union cause I dont own a credit card.

carolvallone

I also asked them to send me the IMEI so I could verify myself, but, again, they never answered me properly!! They always sent me this standard email, not carying even 1% about what I said to them.

Revenue Dublin Mail Centre < dmc @ revenue . ie>
Mon 3/5, 3:04 PM
You




I refer to your mail message and note that you agree to abandon goods.

The Rights Holder has advised that the goods are counterfeit and they will be destroyed shortly and will not be released to you.



Please contact the Seller or your credit card company in relation to obtaining a refund.







EU Regulation 608/2013 and other information can be viewed and downloaded at:

ec.europa . eu/ taxation_customs/customs/customs_controls/ counterfeit_piracy/ combating/ index_en.htm




Regards
<SNIP>
Customs Officer, Dublin Mail Centre

carolvallone

Again, I dont have the item on my hands, so I couldnt check the IMEI myself to even have a chance to prove something to them.

Peter File

You paid through western union which is never a good idea as there is no comeback if anything goes wrong.
The email you have posted also states that Apple confirmed that they phone is not genuine.
An expensive mistake unfortunately for you.

carolvallone

They said Apple confirmed, but they never sent me the proof. How will I believe them? If its counterfeit they then should give me a proof. Aliexpress would only give me the refund if I send this proof. Just saying wont work for them.

carolvallone

There is also this case: www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057602641&from=signup

carolvallone

'After about 3 weeks of being in the unclear not knowing what was happening I received an email from revenue stating.

"As the Rights Holder has not responded within the timeframe"

They released the 2 phones and I had to pay VAT at 23% on the value of the item and €7 to an post for handling fees so it ended up costing me €120 smackers.

Although I was happy that the phones were in complete and perfect working order.

So to anyone reading this I hope that you NEVER EVER buy anything outside the EU without adding on the 23% VAT.
For the money I ended up paying for the phones I could have bought two new ones here in Ireland. Lesson learned '

Peter File

In your case the rights holder appears to have confirmed that the product is not genuine so it is a different scenario.

carolvallone

If they confirmed, souldnt they forward me any email that Apple sent to them to show me how they found out that it counterfeit?

NATLOR

carolvallone wrote: »

'After about 3 weeks of being in the unclear not knowing what was happening I received an email from revenue stating.

"As the Rights Holder has not responded within the timeframe"

They released the 2 phones and I had to pay VAT at 23% on the value of the item and €7 to an post for handling fees so it ended up costing me €120 smackers.

Although I was happy that the phones were in complete and perfect working order.

So to anyone reading this I hope that you NEVER EVER buy anything outside the EU without adding on the 23% VAT.
For the money I ended up paying for the phones I could have bought two new ones here in Ireland. Lesson learned '

Why would you expect to purchase outside the EU without paying VAT

That shop you linked doesn't post to Ireland BTW

carolvallone

Are they really allowed by law not to give me resonable proof?

carolvallone

I know they dont ship to Ireland anymore... Because I argued with the seller and opened a dispute. Now they have officialy shut down shipping to ireland. They dont want trouble anymore, because if people open disputes on Aliexpress, the website punishes the seller putting them on the last finds when searching.

Take down that image. Your full address and phone number is on it!

carolvallone

Lol i forgot to delete that info. Thanks.

carolvallone

https://imgur.com/QoqwDo5

carolvallone

I have talked to the seller and she sent me the IMEI of the phone. I'm thinking to go to the customs office to see if I could talk to someone encharged since they do not reply my emails anymore.

That is the phone I bought, used Iphone 6 space gray 16 GB

ED E

If you turn up at the DMC you'll be met by a locked door, there's no public office that I know of.


Customs purely refer to the rights holder on this.

Read IMEI
Send to Apple
Apple say Yay/Nay

Its possible it has a modified IMEI. Its possible its a rebuild from parts (frankenstein phone). Possible it was an Apple Warranty Replacement that is essentially now stolen goods. We can't know precisely.

Elevate the claim to AliExpress, get a refund, then order from Amazon.de etc where you won't have issues.