B & H Photo Two oders. were not delivered and B &H refuses to even call UPS to find out what happened New York New York

B & H purchase fiasco

This order was to be shipped to my house iin Nicaragua. I order things online and receive them at my house here from Amazon, other e stores AND Adorama (Adorama is the major competitor to B & H Photo and is in the same area in NYC as B * H is) all the time with zero issues for several years.

They (the UPS subcontractor in Nicaragua) have a few hundred dollars I have deposited in their bank account as "ranson" per Arsenio Roberts (aroberts@ups.com) at UPS United States in order to get my products brokered out of customs and delivered.

I paid hundreds of dollars for second day delivery to B & Hand 120 + days later, I have nothing to show but stress, a big phone bill and my wife's ID stolen.

I did DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE  I purchsed frmo B & J as it was my first time and phoned BOTH B & H and UPS to ask about Nicaraguan international shipping and customs issues. I was told by B & H they "ship to Nicaragua" all the time and their UPS service is "the best in the world". This is stated everywhere on their website. I then phones USP to DOUBLE MAKE SURE they would take care with my expensive order. UPS website (in my attached documents) even claims "they monitor, track and facilitate customs clearance EVEN while the product is still in transit" and that they are "experts" in customs brokering and international shopping.

 I RELIED ON AND TRUSTED B &H and the carrier B & H recommended and selected for me.

The second shipment has completely disappeared from the face of the earth.

The first shipment was held for ranson, then for a $400.00 plus order, the box was empty and had one tiny battery in it.

UPS uses a subcontractor called IML Nicaragua who themselves us a subcontractor called Cargo Trans in Nicaragua.  IML employees operate from ups.com email addresses and pretend they are UPS but then when it is convenient, UPS claims they are "independent". This, even though UPS has control of their own domain name and allows IML to use email accounts on it.

The UPS tracking for the SECOND (larger) SHIPMENT shows NO PROOF OF DELIVERY.

 The UPS trackig shows they delivered the first shipment. THIS IS A NOT TRUE. (A subcontractor of UPS delivered a commervial invoice for one of two B & H shipments with a note to pay additional fees DIRECTLY to a Nicaraguan individual (NOT UPS, not IML and NOT Cargo Trans) or I wuld be fined $100.00 per day)  I will restate "paid to an individual".

The emails from  UPS themselves prove nothing has been delivered.

What I received was an envelope dropped off by a drunk Cargo Trans (UPS subcontractor) delivery person and inside was the  B & H invoice for the first shipment a note from IML/UPS demanding I pay or I would be fined.

 You can see on attachment #034 the proof that delivery claimed by UPS  in November was a not true if you scroll to Katiela's question. We received one battery in one box. The delivery person just dumped the box and ran. I was actually on the phone with Katiela  at UPS when this took place.

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 I prepared this purchase by calling both B & H and UPS.  I was assured about international shipping and my understanding was that if I chose  the UPS option though expensive, it would be very reliable and  quick. and that UPS would take care of everything. All I needed to do was pay the customs tax when needed.

 Please see attachment # 030 where the website from UPS states:

 Please see attachments #001 and #003 from B & H Photo stating delivery would be "3-5" business days.  We wanted this for the Thanksgiving Holiday here because I had family visiting Nicaragua.

 I understood that once the product was in Nicaragua, the UPS customs broker would contact me with the amount of duty and I would pay this via credit cart to them.

 ** All throughout this drama, I tried and tried to have Jack Laska @ B & H aid me because UPS kept reverting to the story that "only the shipper (B & H) can act for this shipment because they are the shipper. Jack Laska and all other B  & H people absolutely refised to do anything at all.

I had to work with UPS which was uncooperative.

This proved to be a lie. I was then subjected to a process of over 100 phone calls and over 60 emails (back and forth) and have nothing to show for it.

 They keep changing the story and what is required and every time we meet the new requests, They change what they want in order to make it impossible to receive our items. They were trying to get us to give up.

 I paid for shipment to my house and they wanted me to go go Managua which is 2.5+ hours away.  Once I agreed to go to Managua (to take away their excuse and lie) they then wanted my wife to go there not once but twice. (They want a Nicaragua citizens ID to receive this not me). Once to do paperwork and then processing and after a never stated amount of days, we could return (2.5+ hours) to get my packages once they completed their process.

We were going on a trip the second half of December and it was agreed and promised by Arsenio ROberts at UPS US we could do this by 12/5.

 We had agreed to do this on 12/5/13 and planned this for a week. When the time came, they pulled the rug and it was reset for12/12/13. That was also a LIE. We are gone from here after this week and cannot receive anything.

The new excuse was that I am not a Nicaragua and I could not receive shipments because of that. This despite the fact that I receive items from Adorama, Amazon and others all the time. In summary, it was a LIE. I elimimated and took that lie away by offering to have the shipment reconsigned to my wife (she is a Niacaraguan citizen). All pf this was through Arsenio Roberts at UPS US. Based on his statements we supplid IMG with my wife's Nicaraguan national ID.

 The last straw was when we took the excuse of my wifes ID away by giving it to them. They came back and wanted a RUC number. (business ID number).  My wife told the agent (Katiela) more than once that she already HAS A RUC number but Katiela now insists my wife needs to send the ID to them to create a new one. They then respond that they "cannot create a RUC number because my wife already has one".

 They then went on to claim this shipment is for commercial purposes which it is not. It is amature camera accessories. They are now trying to say my wife is in the camera equipment import business. My wife owns a convenience store. NOT A CAMERA STORE!!!!!

 Each time I provide the documents, transport or whatever they want. They change what they want. I believe at this time that they are involved in scamming me. Especially since UPS told me that I can pay customs with a credit card (this was on my due diligence call before I ordered anything to see how UPS handled customs charges) and then UPS Nicaragua has me pay an individual with a bank deposit to a Nicaraguan bank. See attachments  #31 and # 32.

 I have dozens of documents in email that I will attach.

 I have ordered many times online to Nicaragua and used other carriers and other E Stores with no problem.

 When I raised this issue with B & H, I spoke to jack Laska and he advised this was not a B & H problem and I needed to take it up with UPS.  I have gotten nowhere.

 When I call UPS I get no help.

 Please help me as I am out a large amount of money and cannot afford this or the stress to myself and wife.

 If you read through the emails. Every response is at an email I initiated. You can scroll down.

 I have raised concerns to B & H and UPS at all levels possible. They are not honorable.

 I have dozens more documents if you need them.