SingPost finds lost package after viral complaint but says declared value of package was $300, not $1500

Singapore Post (SingPost) has told The Independent that it has found the lost package belonging to Facebook user Fatah Kent, after Kent’s complaint that SingPost lost his parcel from Australia went viral on social media.

Responding to this publication’s enquiry on the netizen’s claim that the postal services company offered to refund just $150 for a package worth nearly $1,500 it had purportedly lost, SingPost added that the seller-declared value of the package was AUD $300, not AUD $1,557.

Yesterday, Facebook user Fatah Kent recounted on social media that he made a purchase from Australia that cost AUD $1,551.57 (about SGD $1479.37) on 10 Apr. The package reached Singapore and came into SingPost’s possession on 2 May. When Kent checked SingPost’s tracking service on the same day, he was puzzled to see that the status was “Unsuccessful Delivery. Identification document not ready.”

After numerous conversations with SingPost staff, Kent was purportedly told that his parcel was declared lost and there was nothing SingPost could do. When Kent pressed for a refund, a supervisor told him that they will do a one-time exception where they would compensate the recipient.

Asking for a full refund, Kent sent all the relevant documents and invoice for payment as SingPost requested to facilitate this exception. On 27 May, nearly one month since the parcel came into SingPost’s possession, SingPost apparently called Kent to notify him that it will reimburse a maximum of $150 only. Kent blasted:

“What utter rubbish. I ordered my parcel > the seller fulfilled the order on his end > Australian Post delivered the parcel from Australia to Singapore with no issue > Singapore Post lost my parcel. And yet, Singapore Post is doing the bare minimum and only compensating me less than 10% of the original price when it is clearly Singapore Post fault.”

SingPost has since stated that it has managed to locate the package and that it has referred the item to the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) since the seller-declared value of the parcel was AUD $300, not AUD $1,557.

A spokesperson said: “Speedpost has managed to locate Mr Kent’s package. The item, approximately the size of a C5 envelope, was referred to the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) for computation of GST payable, given that the value of the package was previously under-declared at AUD300. 

“Speedpost is in touch with Mr Kent and has since updated him on the status of his item. Speedpost will be delivering Mr Kent’s package later this evening upon payment of the applicable taxes.”

The SingPost spokesperson also said that “under the Universal Postal Union (UPU) regulations, the maximum compensation for items sent or received by Speedpost or Express Mail Service is S$150 or the declared value of the item, whichever is lower, to the originating postal organisation.” The spokesperson added:

“It is important for customers to note that the value of goods bought from overseas must be accurately declared. Sending parties misrepresenting or making a false declaration of the value of goods is an offence in many jurisdictions and may lead to penalties being applied by government authorities.

“We would also recommend that customers purchasing high-value items from overseas ask that their senders properly insure the goods for the true replacement value.”

-/TISG