If you order anything from another country it is your responsibility to pay appropriate import duties/brokerage fees.

The foreign seller cannot possibly know the fees for every country in the world nor pay them on your behalf.

You did not get scammed.  The experience you had is very typical.   Just ask anyone in Canada who orders items from the US....they see this all the time with Fedex/UPS.

If you request foreign sellers to send items via postal mail, your duties/brokerage fees will be minimized.

Always better to order from domestic sellers if you can.

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From:         Alan Felder <dieseldoofus@GMAIL.COM>
Reply-To:     Alan Felder <dieseldoofus@GMAIL.COM>
Date:          Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:10:58 -0500

>I recently ordered some parts from Great Britain.  I have ordered parts from
>Great Britain and other European countries before, but not from this
>particular vendor.  There were some heavier items than I normally would have
>shipped so far such as a pair of front shocks.  This vendor uses a worldwide
>shipper similar to (but not) FedEx.  The day these parts arrived, I received
>a phone call and later a letter from an IBC Customs Brokerage Co. stating
>that I owed them $28plus for customs duties.
>
>This has never happened before, and I will be amazed if customs allowed a
>package through without requiring payment FIRST.  Any other shipment from
>wherever (Asia, Australia, Europe, etc.) customs charges were built in to
>the shipping cost (thats one reason they are so darn expensive).  Has anyone
>had this happen to them?
>
>The amount is not that big of a deal but I feel like I am being scammed for
>something I have already paid for.
>
>--
>Alan Felder
>Austin TX
>82 Diesel Westy
>