Shipment from US Tampered with ...... ?

[RichG41]

Hi

As unlikely as this may appear ......

thought I'd just post this up on here to see if anyone has had this happen to them before?

Back in Feb I purchased a set of NOS panaracers and MKS graphites from BMX Museum, the day after I also purchased a lovely set of alloy hubbed white skyways from the same seller. The tyres and pedals turned up in just over a week but the wheels appeared to go AWOL. Eventually 2 weeks ago I got a letter saying I needed to provide additional information as they may need to add a customs charge, which they did. Yesterday the wheels arrived, the box appeared unopened but there was a hole where the axle had made it's way through, the hole however was quite big and straight away I could see it was a nylon/plastic hub. The other wheel was correct and was a steel suntour coaster hub.

I contacted the seller and explained that the front was a nylon and not an alloy hub. He says he has never owned a nylon hub and that it has been switched. They arrived in a Skyway box so they would know what was in there but .....

 - Has anyone had this happen before?

 - What are my options?

Thanks

Rich

[MartyC]

Do you have pics of what you thought you purchased?  The chances of it being opened and swapped out are pretty remote like Glen says, I think you may have been duped.  How did you pay?  If by Paypal raise a dispute as goods received not as ordered/paid for.

[M5AT]

Yeah, sounds fishy.

looks like our American friend has tried to pull a fast un.

[RichG41]

.... I know that's is exactly what I initially thought but like I said the other parts were spot on and arrived very quickly. The wheels went AWOL for 2 months so the switching as unlikely as it seems could have been done due to the timescale added to that it was in a skyway box so to the right person could possibly attract attention.

I do have photos as he sent through photos to show me the condition of the Panaracers.

If I was reading this post I'd think exactly as you but he's been in contact a few times today and hopefully we can resolve it.

Either way still on the look out for a minty white alloy front .... anyone, anyone ....... like that's gonna happen  

Thanks for comments

Cheers

Rich

[markyp]

where did you buy from,the museum or ebay???whats the sellers feedback like??im always very warey of sending stuff in bmx logo'd boxes like skyway for example.i sent a frameset once in a skyway box and thought at the time that it probably wasnt the best idea id had,but it arrived safely.the skyway box gave everybody a clue as to what was in the box,the chances of a posty pinching it are small but our very own southern andy is a posty and he knows when theres bmx stuff in parcels hes delivering,usually because he recognises the buyer/seller name on the parcel.as the item went through customs then theres a fair chance you are on their records if youve imported before,they'd also know that its bmx parts you import,with this ever expanding hobby whos to say that it didnt fall in to the wrong hands during shipping'the hole in the box is a clue that maybe it has been tampered with

[RichG41]

Thanks

It was bought from a guy on BMX MUSEUM

His feedback is spot on +91

Cheers

Rich

[markyp]

if his feedback is 91+ then he sounds good,check thru what people have written and see if hes shipped overeas before,99% of them over on the museum are decent people,ive bought loads from the states witthout a single hitch,i reckon the posties may well have had it

[keviboy]

I bought a Letterman baseball jacket from LA the guy lived near our LA office to save $50 p+p i asked him if he could drop it there no probs the receptionist called me in the uk and said its been delivered and also said its brand new and described it perfectly my mate posted it in a shipment that was coming over that night.Bearing in mind it was coming in with a $500k movie camera the case arrived with the camera but no jacket i called my mate he said that he had defo put it in the case.
i called our shipping agent and asked if USA customs would have removed it! He replied no because it's technically 2nd hand they wouldn't touch it (it could be a gift or being returned to owner therefore NO COMMERCIAL VALUE)
Then added those words we don't wanna hear FLIPPIN BAGGAGE HANDLER'S........IF I WANTED TO PURSUE IT AS  A CASE (CRIME) against the airline i would only get the weight value which is currently £30 per kilo! regardless of what it is.Moral of this story pay the full shipping/postal cost's and also insure and get tracking numbers....fedx.ups as they have a closed domain once its collected.

[wildon]

blimey, it's laughable for the seller to even suggest the wheel was switched 

[ozone]

.... I know that's is exactly what I initially thought but like I said the other parts were spot on and arrived very quickly. The wheels went AWOL for 2 months so the switching as unlikely as it seems could have been done due to the timescale added to that it was in a skyway box so to the right person could possibly attract attention.

I do have photos as he sent through photos to show me the condition of the Panaracers.

If I was reading this post I'd think exactly as you but he's been in contact a few times today and hopefully we can resolve it.

Either way still on the look out for a minty white alloy front .... anyone, anyone ....... like that's gonna happen  

Thanks for comments

Cheers

Rich

Are the tyres still on there?  Makes the switcheroo scenario sound even more laughable. 

The seller wasn't Heath Mahaffy was it?  That guy ripped off countless people all over the world - can any of the old guard remember him?   

[southern andy]

the chances of a posty pinching it are small but our very own southern andy is a posty and he knows when theres bmx stuff in parcels hes delivering,usually because he recognises the buyer/seller name on the parcel.

Thukin ell Mark, this doesn't read well here mate  You're making me sound like i go through stuff. 

[lk_97]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

[ozone]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

[lk_97]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

It was at customs for a long time though so it would have been quite easy

[Tefore]

I bought a load of skyway pegs the once. When the box came it had been repacked by the courier company. Inside was half skyway pegs and half grata batteries? Turned out when I spoke to the courier company that they often have a batch of parcels all split open and they justvrepack what they thought goes in we're.WTF .

The seller I had loads of trades with so I know it was not them

[sparky]

Just a thought but how many SKYWAY boxes pass through customs so to open the right one containing an Alloy hub must be rather hard. 

[ozone]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

It was at customs for a long time though so it would have been quite easy

Only a select few adults play with childrens bikes though.     I doubt most grown-ups would be able to tell the difference TBH. 

[lk_97]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

It was at customs for a long time though so it would have been quite easy

Only a select few adults play with childrens bikes though.     I doubt most grown-ups would be able to tell the difference TBH. 

True, never know though, just can't rule it out is all

[wildon]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

It was at customs for a long time though so it would have been quite easy

Only a select few adults play with childrens bikes though.     I doubt most grown-ups would be able to tell the difference TBH. 

True, never know though, just can't rule it out is all

I think you'd win the lottery before someone in the p.o swapped the wheel .. it's a ridiculous scenario 

[lk_97]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

It was at customs for a long time though so it would have been quite easy

Only a select few adults play with childrens bikes though.     I doubt most grown-ups would be able to tell the difference TBH. 

True, never know though, just can't rule it out is all

I think you'd win the lottery before someone in the p.o swapped the wheel .. it's a ridiculous scenario 

I suppose you're right

[markyp]

the chances of a posty pinching it are small but our very own southern andy is a posty and he knows when theres bmx stuff in parcels hes delivering,usually because he recognises the buyer/seller name on the parcel.

Thukin ell Mark, this doesn't read well here mate  You're making me sound like i go through stuff. 

you do Pat,most of your builds come from the sorting office

[Glynnyboy]

the chances of a posty pinching it are small but our very own southern andy is a posty and he knows when theres bmx stuff in parcels hes delivering,usually because he recognises the buyer/seller name on the parcel.

Thukin ell Mark, this doesn't read well here mate  You're making me sound like i go through stuff. 

you do Pat,most of your builds come from the sorting office

That's you at the top of the IB's watch list now Andy 

[The Burner King]

the chances of a posty pinching it are small but our very own southern andy is a posty and he knows when theres bmx stuff in parcels hes delivering,usually because he recognises the buyer/seller name on the parcel.

Thukin ell Mark, this doesn't read well here mate  You're making me sound like i go through stuff. 

Andy, glad you're not my postman, i wouldn't want you to know how much stuff i keep hoarding   

[The Burner King]

Could be possible, by now with the amount they're insured for customs could be catching on to the value of things, especially something as recognisable as a tuff

How many postal/customs workers have a spare white Skyway wheel lying around ready for the switchover? 

It was at customs for a long time though so it would have been quite easy

Only a select few adults play with childrens bikes though.     I doubt most grown-ups would be able to tell the difference TBH. 

True, never know though, just can't rule it out is all

I think you'd win the lottery before someone in the p.o swapped the wheel .. it's a ridiculous scenario 

I have to agree, more likely the package got held up somewher than someone waiting for one to come along to swap. The other thing is, how easy would it be for one of these customs people or postal works to bring a wheel to work, keep it in the office and then when the right one comes along swap it over. Surely someone would say, why are you keeping that PLASTIC hub skyway here at work?

[john4130]

do the wheels look in the same condition or is one more discoloured or dirtier than the other. if their pretty much the same then it's unlikely one has been switched. i would be suspicious if one looked newer while the other was well used. any dates or letters written inside the rim that match?