[HugoDaniel]

FedEx (and apparently UPS) do this without any type of warning, they are probably exploiting some loophole in the law to be able to do it. They can't expect happy reactions from their customers. I blame them for doing it without proper communication and also anyone that plays along with them without providing proper alternatives after knowing that they do this kind of stuff.

That is not the way business should be done. There should be a social responsibility part in every company. Extorting money goes against that.

[smsm42]

Are you sure the money actually goes to Fedex? From the description it looks like the money goes to customs, which is a government agency. In that case, it's not clear why you're angry with Fedex, which pretty much has no choice but to charge whatever the government tell them to charge.

[HugoDaniel]

I called customs, talked to them, they don't apply fees to educational books. They released it free of charge but only to be picked by the entity with the paper for it. FedEx had that paper and they would only pick it up with 50EUR on their pockets. I argued that i could pick it up from customs myself and pay whatever taxes if i had the paper in my name instead. They said the 50EUR charge would be for the pickup paper and not for the package itself, that is why it was not charged by the sender. They threatened that if the money was not paid the package would return to sender (i have these emails and could send them to you if you want).

This story is not only mine but the same story for all the individuals who ordered stuff through FedEx that i have contacted here.

[smsm42]

Wow that looks like extremely shady practice.