Customs question for members who have received coins from Canada........

DBSTrader2

Hopefully, someone who has either shipped FROM Canada to the U.S., or has had to receive items from Canada can help me with a question regarding customs & info required?

My son recently bought an ice hockey goalie stick from an outlet in NJ. The blade started separating/peeling almost immediately, so he had to contact the manufacturer vs the retailer for a replacement. He just received a replacement RMA, but also the puzzling response:

"Your claim has been approved. But we will need your social security number in order for us to ship the replacement stick. This is required for custom purposes since we are located in Canada and you are in the United States. If you are not comfortable giving this you may use a business address were we will only require the federal tax ID#."

Has anyone who has dealt with receiving coins (or other merchandise) from Canada ever heard of any requirement for either a SSN, or even a tax-id? I never have in any of my coin dealings with Canada.

I would assume people buy stuff all the time from across the border, and this is the first time I have ever heard of either being required.

Has anyone else? This e-mail comes from the manufacturer (Sherwood), but can it possibly be a scam waiting to happen for ID-theft? Or am I just unfamiliar with cross-border customs policies, and too suspicious?

Thanks for any clarification!

- - Dave

ajaan

Do not give out a SS#. I've bought things from Canada and have never had to do this.

DoubleEagle59

I reside in Canada and have both received items friom the US and have shipped items to the US.

Never has the SS# been requested. Very strange indeed.

bronzemat

Ive gotten alot of ancients coins form canada dealers, never once have did I have to give my SS# when I did have a problem earlier last year.

Pokermandude

I see no legitimate reason that you'd need to give your SSN. There is certainly no area on a customs form where the receiver has to put their SSN down.

I'd call them and ask.

ajaan

Return the stick to the store or tell the company to send the replacement to the store where you originally bought it.

DBSTrader2

Thanks, all!

I called their legitimate 800 number & talked with a rep, who said it's their policy (and the law?) since 9/11. Maybe most folks not exposed to it since they don't order over $2k worth?

As per the rep, shipments over $2k (or is it $20k?) need more info, and, per the rep, even though individual orders, they are shipped in bulk that exceeds that value & they've had shipments/trucks held up for several days w/o info (the gov't wants to know who everything's going to...)..... hard to understand.....

In any event, no way will I have my son supply his SSN. Personally, I can't believe they don't ship individually to U.S. via Fedex, etc..... Do they really truck over in bulk & then mail/ship from a U.S. address? I still can't figure it out.....

Apparently, one way around it is to have them ship to one of their dealers in the States near where my son goes to school, and they will call to have him pick it up. There's a hockey pro shop in his area that's in their network, so that's what we'll be doing..........

Just so weird!!

Thx again!

- - Dave

P.S. Ajaan: No way we're going to schlep all the way up to Northern New Jersey from near Philly just for a stick.... we'd spend more in gas, tolls, and car wear! We only went there originally because the "Hockey Monkey" outlet supposedly had the biggest selection of on-site goalie pads in the entire Northeast..... The stick was just to be a back-up to another one (composite) that snapped-off at the top - - they sure don't last long at the prices they charge, and warranties are almost non-existant!!

1960NYGiants

I've made some pretty big deals (buying from and selling to Canadian addresses) and never encountered the SSN requirement. Check with you local PO Master for clarification. Possibly setup a shipment to the local Fedex/UPS store for the business addy.

I tried a search of the USPS site and got nothing stating a SSN is required. Maybe one of our Postal Worker members can enlighten us.

YQQ

NEVER EVER, in many transactions has this happened.
There is absolutely NO requirement on either side to provide any personal info , except what is needed for payment and shipping!
and that can be handled by CC
Canadian or US customs do not have such a requirement.
it is different if the value is over US$9,999.

ColinCMR

Seems very odd, and it seems like a policy that would interfere with their business.

In Canada, SSN are usually only asked for on forms relating to government, employment, banking, real estate, college applications, etc. Not a customer-client relation.

ColinCMR

http://www.purolator.com/products_services/reference.html

seems they can ask for it and do

go gov!

DBSTrader2

We ended up having the replacement stick shipped to a local rink for pick-up, so we got around the SSN issue, but the way they explained it was that they ship in qualtities large enough to hit that $ limit which requires a SSN, so everyone as part of that shipment must provide SSN, lest 1 missing # hold up an entire shipment/truck at the border.

Now, we've never ordered individual sticks online or over the phone, but I'd think the sme requirement would hold true in those cases, too - - but doubt they ask individual customers for SSN........ so still confused where & why they draw the line... strange.....

But we got our replacement stick, and are now ready for next year's season!

- - Dave

DBM

If I send coins to the US valued at more than $2000,I must provide the recipient's SSN or federal tax EIN# on the customs form.This is a requirement of US Customs.
I don't know the requirements for non-coin items.

YQQ

DBM, that is very interesting.
I am wondering what US customs form you are referring to?

As far as I know, a Canadian shipper can not be held responsible for providing personal details of a US buyer.
A Canadian seller does not usually have this information and is not entitled to have it.
Would you give your personal info to a buyer in a foreign country whom you do not know?
if the IRS or US customs wishes to have this info, they hold the shipment at customs and send a note to the recipient asking for whatever details they would like to have. It is then up to the receiver to either provide it, or not.
the other thing I am wondering about is: how would you as a seller in Canada obtain that information?
This is, after all, very personal and sensitive information which everyone tells you to keep private.
normally, I assume (and we know what that can do), one would ship a coin as registered mail or another similar way to get a tracking number to comply with Feepal requirements.
that means you use a CN22 sticker (also known as form 2967 or the green sticker ) on your envelope for a customs declaration.
If the value exceeds $400 you use a form 2976a which provides greater details and has a bar code for identification by US customs / IRS.
Form CN22 (2976)only requires you to certify with date and signature that the declaration you make about the contents and value are correct. This form is recognized world wide.
form 2976a requires basically the same information, but a bit more details IF you can provided it and if you are aware of it , like harmonizing codes etc.
on this form you must also provide the full name and mailing address of the recipient, while on the first form it is not required.
It has me puzzled, as I have shipped many time to the US and other countries without having to enter a buyers personal information.
perhaps I understood your post the wrong way?

onejinx

Here is the US Customs & Border patrol info

US Customs

ajaan

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