Believe this ?SS# required for shipping Radios/Acc'y into US

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 2:27 pm

HI:

I sure got a shock today !

I made a purchase of some Motorola Radio
Equipment along with some related accessories.

THis was purchased off Ebay, and the shipper
was located in Canada. The information about
the Radios & Batteries was very spacific and
indicated reasonable shipping costs. No Indication
of a Broker / or other shipping issue.

Seems Fed Ex is now " Requiring a Social Security Number
" or " Federal Tax Payer ID " before anyone can ship Radio
equipment into the US !

I have been ask by the " Ebay Seller " that in order
to ship me my goods " From " Canada that I have to give
him my SS #.

Since I do a lot of trades with my Canadian Freinds,
this could be a new real hassle.

I can see it now Ebay and Internet Scammers all over
the place ( if outside the US ) are going to have " Your "
Name, Address, Phone Number AND " Your " SS # and
start selling the information you gave them.

I do not know whom I am going to Contact first, but
one letter is going to the US Customs Adminisrtation
Office and the next to my local Congressman &
Washington DC.

If this may have a impact on you, I highly recommend
to write a few letters supporting your views.

I realize the importance since 9/11, and I can appreciate
their efforts, but with ones Name, Address, Phone
number and Social Security Number plastered all
over a Customs forum, I am becoming very concerned
since " Anyone " in the chain of command in shipping
could use your information.

I see some very serious impacts on US Citizens if you
want to buy something outside the US. Another shipping
nightmare to deal with.

Anyone with a dime telephone can call a Credit Card
Company and give them your Personal information with
a new address, and you can be screwed.

And yes, it happen just last year to me, Never Again.

So, if you make plans to purchase radios ( Motorola
or otherwise ) you will need to be prepared for possible
new shipping related issues.

Monty

ExKa|iBuR · Post by **ExKa|iBuR** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 2:34 pm

I don't know about the US, but in Canada, your SIN (same as the SS#) isn't supposed to be used for anything other than employment purposes, and even then. I've been asked for my SIN number for various things like a credit card application, and such like that - I've refused every time.

-Mike

jnglmassiv · Post by **jnglmassiv** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:30 pm

Not that I agree with the giving out of SS#'s but could it in fact be for taxation purposes? You state a value and you are then taxed for the appropriate amount?

When are they going to come out with another type of identifying number, one that doesn't pave the way for scamming and fraud?..

ExKa|iBuR · Post by **ExKa|iBuR** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:32 pm

Again, in Canada, your SIN number is only supposed to be used for employment purposes - not for tax purposes.

-Mike

sglass · Post by **sglass** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:39 pm

Yeah, supposedly for tax purposes only in the U.S., it even says on the card "not for identification purposes"

On maryland state handgun purchase paperwork, they ask for it. I never let a custoemr fill it in-yet they always came back fileld in by state police.

On ATF form 4473 (firearms disposition form) it asks for it but labels it optional. I always advise customers, they do NOT need to do that.

Now why in the f do I need it to renew my ham license? That is beyond absurd.

Let me/us know what happens please.

yoda · Post by **yoda** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:40 pm

At first, I thought you might be getting scammed, but I found these on FedEx's website:

See section 2
And this one..

I don't order stuff from out-of-country much, but I might be inclined not to if it means giving up my SSN to any schmuck wanting to ship to me.
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jnglmassiv · Post by **jnglmassiv** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:41 pm

excalibur wrote:Again, in Canada, your SIN number is only supposed to be used for employment purposes - not for tax purposes.

I guess I meant like as in the following:

I fix your Learjet and you pay me in Quantars...for the purpose of avoiding taxes. No money transaction, yet employment, sales or services provided.

Again, they're probably using the SS/SIN as an identification tool but who knows the justifications they might give.

fire_master_21 · Post by **fire_master_21** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:00 pm

I have had thing shipped to me from japan and china using fedex just the other day and didn't have to give anything like a SS #. MAybe it has something to do with where the package was sent from. must my .02

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:45 pm

HI:

I have had thing shipped to me from japan and china using fedex just the other day and didn't have to give anything like a SS #. MAybe it has something to do with where the package was sent from. must my .02

I was infromed by a Fed Ex Administrative Offical that this
has been the case for " Years " and has not generally been
enforced.

Here is the Section:

2. IMPORTS: Shipments originating outside the U.S. for delivery in the U.S. are subject to local tariffs and the service conditions of FedEx Ground. These service conditions include terms regarding the importation and customs clearance of shipments into the U.S.

U.S. Customs regulations require the Social Security Number (SSN) of an individual and the Internal Revenue Service Employer Identification Number (EIN) of the U.S. consignee for certain shipments being imported into the U.S. This information must be included on the Commercial Invoice for all U.S. import shipments. The EIN or SSN must be on file with the U.S. Customs Service. Any changes to a company address, or the EIN/SSN, should be provided to FedEx Ground for system updating. Shipments that arrive in the U.S. that do not have the correct EIN or SSN may be detained until that information can be obtained from the consignee or determined otherwise. This requirement applies to shipments imported to the U.S. requiring a formal entry

You can also find the information on the US Customs Web Site
and they support the same issues.

It really does not have much to due with taxation, I mean, I buy
a 19.00 battery, and have a SS# Requested By the Broker or
Shipper of record.

Seems the plans are to " Start Enforcing " the Rules due to the
9/11 issues as a measure of " Protection " for all of us.

I have no problems letting true gov offiicals have my SS # , Drivers
License, ect, since all my information is covered in TRW, Equifax,
CCC and other organizatrions.

My concern is that the " Shippers " are demanding that one
provide a SS # before they will ship to you, and that the
information is clearly visable through the plastic on the Custom
Forum

Also, even the USPS has a New Custom Document, and it does
not require your life history in order to " Send " to our Canadian
Friends.

Total, Complete, [ Explict ] Non-Sense.

Monty

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 6:22 pm

Hello:

This has been moved back to the General Radio Forum
for the following reasons:

1. This post is of " Prime General Interest" to persons
who Purchase / Sell / Trade / Repair and Send Radio
Equipment into the US

2. Since there were a number of responses in a very short
time period ( 7 of them in a few hours ) I feel this
to be a subject of " General " importance to the forum.

As I discussed with the Fed Ex Administrator, I am
planning on bringing some " National Attention "
to this non-sense about requiring a SS # to have a
Radio sent to a Private party if you are in the US.

I don't normally monitor the bat Lounge, but have
left a Shadow Message there. If you have a question
about content please feel free to contact me direct.

Monty

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 9:01 pm

I've done some business with a member on here who will remain anonomous (unless they speak up) that as long as the value doesn't exceed $20 and you put on it "warranty repair" you can get around it.

Just my $.02

moto-mania · Post by **moto-mania** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:03 pm

I shipped a lot of gear last week to the US from the FedEx World Shipping Centre in downtown Toronto and besides filling out the FCC paperwork for the first time (which is odd, considering I've never had to do that before) there was nary a mention of an SSN or SIN needed.

Nexrad16 · Post by **Nexrad16** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:49 pm

I can't beleive this makes us any more secure. It's like I have to wear my city id pinned to my ff uniform while riding on the fire truck (that makes the public more secure, nice and fuzzy). By city policy I'm suppose to wear the thing all the time in plain site. Even while engaged in active interior fire fighting. IT WILL MELT! and if we damage it we're suppose to pay for it.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

-Paul

P.S. Thanks for the heads up Monty!

OX · Post by OX » Fri Jun 18, 2004 1:39 am

I just wanted to touch on the "information in the right hands gets misused" part. You all know how some Utilities and companies can take a check-by-phone payment? I have actually been burned the first time that I used that process. The person on the other end of the phone attempted to clean out my account. All I got stuck with was a few "over-drawn" fees because I dealt mostly in cash and there was only enough to pay that particular bill. The sad thing is that I called the company with intent to pay them over the phone; they did not call me. So I felt reasonably secure in handing them the critical information.

For a SS# to not be used for identification purposes, there sure are enough people asking for it.

jackhackett · Post by **jackhackett** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 4:45 am

I've seen where schools would use your SS# for an ID, and then post grades on the bulletin board listed by SS# instead of name...

Like they said, not supposed to be used for anything like that, along the same lines credit cards are only supposed to be used for charging stuff, but many places ask for one even if you're going to pay by cash or check.

clavo · Post by **clavo** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 11:22 am

Three words. Fake the Number.

Who is going to check? They run each one through a database check? Please.

Put down your SS # off by 1 digit.... Problem solved for now.

Now you can :o at big brother for invasion of privacy.

-c

VE3TUH · Post by **VE3TUH** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 7:21 am

I would try another carrier. Fedex, Puralator, and UPS really HOSE you when crossing the border, I try to use the regular postal service whenever I can, and have never had a problem. Documentation seems to be simpler as well. Keep the amount low, and if you could classify it as ham gear, so much the better, legally, of course.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 8:08 pm

I have received radios and componets for repair or replacement under warrenty from Canada sevel times. On some docs you can list the radios as repair or as a gift.

Yes, I got shafted by FedEx for $60+ on a Spectra I shipped to the Toronto aera, FedEx hounded me for most of a year for the money.

$100 for the radio, +$43 shipping, and then they want $60+ more??????? Pisses me off

My two Pesos....

60hzEE · Post by **60hzEE** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 5:15 am

Monty, you are clearly getting the classic 'run-around' by someone who doesn't know the regs.

Reading FedEx's own procedural stuff, since your shipment was less than $2500 in value, and wasn't rough diamonds, firearms, etc., a <b>formal</b> entry wasn't required. So, it shouldn't have been an issue.

Go back and 'shove' the Fex Ex procedures (up or down) the anatomy of the person you got it from and tell them to get the radioon board the next shipment to San Diego.

Heck, even if you had a huge shipment, it says your EIN would be sufficient. That way, at least you aren't giving away personal info.

Lee

c17loadsmasher · Post by **c17loadsmasher** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:03 am

Hmm you would think that FedEx would supply a toll-free number with which you could give them your SSAN... I'd rather do that than give it to some yahoo on eBay. Can't trust them to sell decent items half the time, much less with my SSAN.

Believe this ?SS# required for shipping Radios/Acc'y into US

Believe this ?SS# required for shipping Radios/Acc'y into US

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re sin #