Who the hell is this PBGS?! Any connection to PCGS?

Hi all!
Today I received a call from my local (that's Greece) UPS representative
that a packet arrived for me; in order to receive it I would have to pay
import taxes plus 3 days keeping in their facilities plus their fee for
clearing it with the customs plus...plus...plus...!
I've asked them who sent the packet and they said a company named PBGS!
-I don't know any PBGS! What's in the packet?
-We don't know, it only says "collectible items"!
-What's the value of the packet?
-The value of the packet is US$99.00 and it was paid by you already!
-But I don't recall to have ordered anything from such a company!
To my further question "what is the total charge if I want to receive this
packet" they said that I had to pay...US$156.00 (!!!!!) representing the
abovementioned taxes/fees/etc!
I asked them to stick their packet where they know and to send it back to
the sender.
Now, do you know something about this company, who they are, if they are
selling coins, etc?...
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

tnx

SInce you don't know who sent it and have no record of such an order,
it's obviously a scam.
But why post here?
"gogu" wrote in message
news
Hi all!
Today I received a call from my local (that's Greece) UPS
representative that a packet arrived for me; in order to receive it I
would have to pay import taxes plus 3 days keeping in their facilities
plus their fee for clearing it with the customs plus...plus...plus...!
I've asked them who sent the packet and they said a company named
PBGS!
-I don't know any PBGS! What's in the packet?
-We don't know, it only says "collectible items"!
-What's the value of the packet?
-The value of the packet is US$99.00 and it was paid by you already!
-But I don't recall to have ordered anything from such a company!
To my further question "what is the total charge if I want to receive
this packet" they said that I had to pay...US$156.00 (!!!!!)
representing the abovementioned taxes/fees/etc!
I asked them to stick their packet where they know and to send it back
to the sender.
Now, do you know something about this company, who they are, if they
are selling coins, etc?...
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

tnx

OK, an update:
in a coins forum I found a discussion about this company and it seems to be
a company commissioned my the Mint to ship their coins!
In that forum I saw a posting by Frank Provasec, so I'd be more than
grateful if he could give me some more info!

tnx


Ï "gogu" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
news
Hi all!
Today I received a call from my local (that's Greece) UPS representative
that a packet arrived for me; in order to receive it I would have to pay
import taxes plus 3 days keeping in their facilities plus their fee for
clearing it with the customs plus...plus...plus...!
I've asked them who sent the packet and they said a company named PBGS!
-I don't know any PBGS! What's in the packet?
-We don't know, it only says "collectible items"!
-What's the value of the packet?
-The value of the packet is US$99.00 and it was paid by you already!
-But I don't recall to have ordered anything from such a company!
To my further question "what is the total charge if I want to receive this
packet" they said that I had to pay...US$156.00 (!!!!!) representing the
abovementioned taxes/fees/etc!
I asked them to stick their packet where they know and to send it back to
the sender.
Now, do you know something about this company, who they are, if they are
selling coins, etc?...
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

tnx

It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.

gogu wrote:
OK, an update:
in a coins forum I found a discussion about this company and it seems to
be a company commissioned my the Mint to ship their coins!
In that forum I saw a posting by Frank Provasec, so I'd be more than
grateful if he could give me some more info!

tnx


Ï "gogu" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
news
Hi all!
Today I received a call from my local (that's Greece) UPS
representative that a packet arrived for me; in order to receive it I
would have to pay import taxes plus 3 days keeping in their facilities
plus their fee for clearing it with the customs plus...plus...plus...!
I've asked them who sent the packet and they said a company named PBGS!
-I don't know any PBGS! What's in the packet?
-We don't know, it only says "collectible items"!
-What's the value of the packet?
-The value of the packet is US$99.00 and it was paid by you already!
-But I don't recall to have ordered anything from such a company!
To my further question "what is the total charge if I want to receive
this packet" they said that I had to pay...US$156.00 (!!!!!)
representing the abovementioned taxes/fees/etc!
I asked them to stick their packet where they know and to send it back
to the sender.
Now, do you know something about this company, who they are, if they
are selling coins, etc?...
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

tnx

Ï "Kyle Mutcher" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...
It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.

Thanks Kyle!
Have you a possible explanation about the huge cost I was asked to pay?
Of course I understand that cost was high mainly because of the UPS tariffs
regarding customs clearance, depositing, etc but again US$156.00 seems quite
high...
Do you know what happens now that I refused to accept the coins?
Is the Mint going to reimburse the amount of money they've charged my credit
card, maybe minus shipping cost? Or they are going to try and send the coins
again?
Thanks in advance!


gogu wrote:
OK, an update:
in a coins forum I found a discussion about this company and it seems to
be a company commissioned my the Mint to ship their coins!
In that forum I saw a posting by Frank Provasec, so I'd be more than
grateful if he could give me some more info!

tnx

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Kyle Mutcher" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...
It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.

Thanks Kyle!
Have you a possible explanation about the huge cost I was asked to pay?
Of course I understand that cost was high mainly because of the UPS
tariffs regarding customs clearance, depositing, etc but again US$156.00
seems quite high...
Do you know what happens now that I refused to accept the coins?
Is the Mint going to reimburse the amount of money they've charged my
credit card, maybe minus shipping cost? Or they are going to try and send
the coins again?
Thanks in advance!


You're hosed. Keep better track of what you've ordered and what it's going
to cost to have it delivered.

Steve

Ï "Steve" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Kyle Mutcher" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...
It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.


Thanks Kyle!
Have you a possible explanation about the huge cost I was asked to pay?
Of course I understand that cost was high mainly because of the UPS
tariffs regarding customs clearance, depositing, etc but again US$156.00
seems quite high...
Do you know what happens now that I refused to accept the coins?
Is the Mint going to reimburse the amount of money they've charged my
credit card, maybe minus shipping cost? Or they are going to try and send
the coins again?
Thanks in advance!


You're hosed. Keep better track of what you've ordered and what it's going
to cost to have it delivered.

For more than 10 years I order and received coins from the US Mint and I
never paid a cent in duties, etc!
This is the first time to happen and has nothing to do with import taxes
(imp. taxes were no more than US$25.00 from the amount of US$156.00, the
rest were UPS...fees which I was not aware of!).
The Mint for the first time is using Pitney Bowes Government Services to
deliver its products and there are many complaints already for this company
and the carriers they use, the way they deliver, delays in delivery, etc!
Till now the Mint used the USPS to ship my coins and had no problem at all!
As soon as they change to Pitney Bowes Government Services (and I had no way
to know about this change, I was never announced or given the chance to
choose if I accept this carrier or not!), there the problems start!

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Steve" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Kyle Mutcher" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...
It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.


Thanks Kyle!
Have you a possible explanation about the huge cost I was asked to pay?
Of course I understand that cost was high mainly because of the UPS
tariffs regarding customs clearance, depositing, etc but again US$156.00
seems quite high...
Do you know what happens now that I refused to accept the coins?
Is the Mint going to reimburse the amount of money they've charged my
credit card, maybe minus shipping cost? Or they are going to try and
send the coins again?
Thanks in advance!


You're hosed. Keep better track of what you've ordered and what it's
going to cost to have it delivered.

For more than 10 years I order and received coins from the US Mint and I
never paid a cent in duties, etc!
This is the first time to happen and has nothing to do with import taxes
(imp. taxes were no more than US$25.00 from the amount of US$156.00, the
rest were UPS...fees which I was not aware of!).
The Mint for the first time is using Pitney Bowes Government Services to
deliver its products and there are many complaints already for this
company and the carriers they use, the way they deliver, delays in
delivery, etc!
Till now the Mint used the USPS to ship my coins and had no problem at
all!
As soon as they change to Pitney Bowes Government Services (and I had no
way to know about this change, I was never announced or given the chance
to choose if I accept this carrier or not!), there the problems start!

Sounds like you've got a valid gripe that will probably be ignored my the
Mint. From now on, best you find a US partner who would be willing to order
Mint items for you and ship them to you via USPS. It may not be the
solution you want, but it beats charging at windmills.

The high cost is mostly brokerage fees. USPS items go through Canada Customs
and if held for taxes there is only a nominal fee of $5. UPS brokerage fees
on the other hand are steep. I think most vendors do not realize what a
substantial cost difference there is to the customer. I often pay a higher
price just to get USPS shipping. In your case I would call the mint and
explain you were not aware there would be brokerage fees over and above GST
PST and request USPS or a refund.

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Kyle Mutcher" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...
It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.

Thanks Kyle!
Have you a possible explanation about the huge cost I was asked to pay?
Of course I understand that cost was high mainly because of the UPS
tariffs regarding customs clearance, depositing, etc but again US$156.00
seems quite high...
Do you know what happens now that I refused to accept the coins?
Is the Mint going to reimburse the amount of money they've charged my
credit card, maybe minus shipping cost? Or they are going to try and send
the coins again?
Thanks in advance!


gogu wrote:
OK, an update:
in a coins forum I found a discussion about this company and it seems to
be a company commissioned my the Mint to ship their coins!
In that forum I saw a posting by Frank Provasec, so I'd be more than
grateful if he could give me some more info!

tnx

Ï "Bruce Remick" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Steve" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

"gogu" wrote in message
...
Ï "Kyle Mutcher" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...
It's Pitney Bowes Government Services and they are the mail-order and
shipping for the US mint.


Thanks Kyle!
Have you a possible explanation about the huge cost I was asked to pay?
Of course I understand that cost was high mainly because of the UPS
tariffs regarding customs clearance, depositing, etc but again
US$156.00 seems quite high...
Do you know what happens now that I refused to accept the coins?
Is the Mint going to reimburse the amount of money they've charged my
credit card, maybe minus shipping cost? Or they are going to try and
send the coins again?
Thanks in advance!


You're hosed. Keep better track of what you've ordered and what it's
going to cost to have it delivered.


For more than 10 years I order and received coins from the US Mint and I
never paid a cent in duties, etc!
This is the first time to happen and has nothing to do with import taxes
(imp. taxes were no more than US$25.00 from the amount of US$156.00, the
rest were UPS...fees which I was not aware of!).
The Mint for the first time is using Pitney Bowes Government Services to
deliver its products and there are many complaints already for this
company and the carriers they use, the way they deliver, delays in
delivery, etc!
Till now the Mint used the USPS to ship my coins and had no problem at
all!
As soon as they change to Pitney Bowes Government Services (and I had no
way to know about this change, I was never announced or given the chance
to choose if I accept this carrier or not!), there the problems start!


Sounds like you've got a valid gripe that will probably be ignored my the
Mint. From now on, best you find a US partner who would be willing to
order Mint items for you and ship them to you via USPS. It may not be the
solution you want, but it beats charging at windmills.

Hi Bruce!
No, it's a good solution but I can always buy the new Mint issues on ebay at
a lightly higher price, always better than paying $156.00 for UPS fees!

rgrds