I have received items that ended over $1000 declared at less than $100 without asking. I think the value they declare is bracketed, similar to their shipping (so more expensive items are declared slightly higher).
This is highly classified and confidential information. If you reveal this info to your friend working in customs at the government or something, I might have to kill you 
Don’t ruin a good thing haha.
I doubt customs cares about pokemon cards.
They would tend to only care to focus on stuff that would actually be sold in Canada.
Even if they did, it’s not like they train experts that know the value of each card. Especially since condition is such a huge factor in pricing where a card can be worth from $10 to 1000+. If it’s graded, they can probably look it up though… I actually wonder if anyone from any country has ever had trouble importing a few graded cards? There’s thousands of little boxes/bubble mailers, they just don’t have the time or man power to check everything. Imagine the delays.
They keep an eye on bigger ticket items or larger shipments. If you import a pallet full of high end good at $20 each, you’re going to have a bad time. lol
Doesn’t PWCC use FedEx or UPS to ship internationally?
Don’t quote me on this but if memory serves me correct, I think they use UPS. I don’t see how that makes a difference though?
Not sure it does matter, but UPS is public, while USPS is government ran. I would have to read into it more though.
They declare things low intentionally, I bought an $8k card through them and it was declared at $50 on the customs form. I think the reason they do this and can do this is that they have third party mail insurance, so the declared value doesn’t matter to them because it’s only really important when purchasing insurance through the carrier.
Considering the quantity and overall value of cards they handle and have on premises as well as going through the postal system at any given time it would make sense for them to have some other form of insurance policy in place.
Not just PWCC, probstein123 declares low as well.
This is a very sensitive topic. I don’t condone illegal practices something like this. But when I see sellers or businesses using this practice all the time, I’m like “err, wut. okay then” Like how they aren’t paranoid when sending high-end cards and declare low? They must be crazy!
Like someone else said, customs don’t care about stuff like pokemon cards, so sellers feel okay to declare low. Or there’s something else in the Law Bible that allows them to do this (loophole) as well?
In the past, I bought products (non-cards) a few times and got hit with crazy long delays + insanely ‘overcharged’ customs taxes. I had to go thru the HM Revenue & Customs to get some of my money back. Lengthy processes, something I don’t want to deal with again. Two wrongs don’t make a right, I know, but a part of me always feel happier when someone declares low for me, lol.
I guess Probstein and PWCC don’t really care all too much because the US doesn’t care about what we export in this regard. As others mentioned they likely have some 3rd party insurance and aren’t relying on the postal insurance which necessitates a proper declaration. Obviously buyers prefer spending less on taxes and can therefore bid higher on certain items if they know they won’t owe any duties so it makes sense why PWCC and Probstein would do it as they have $$ to gain and very little or nothing to lose. I doubt a foreign entity would have any luck going after PWCC or Probstein for under declaring things (if they even could).
The ones who would care about it would be the governments of the buyers home country as they are missing out on potential tax revenue. Does PWCC/Probstein include a packing slip with the price of the auction? @pierce? @pkmnflyingmaster?
I ask because one time I shipped a card to a guy in Europe who gifted me money and I made the mistake of including a slip showing what he had sent me (hundreds) while declaring about 10 bucks. Luckily customs must have missed it but he was pretty unhappy that I did something that could of gotten him caught. No idea what the recourse would have been there.
I think you are wrong here, not intentionally anyway, but likely because the laws for imports and exports to/from the US are more laid back than other countries.
Tax evasion is very serious business, in Australia they have dedicated departments that target those avoiding paying tax that the government rightfully (in a legal sense, not morally) deserves.
This isn’t our typical slap on the wrist stuff either, it’s heavy fines or time in the slammer. One thing I have learnt through observation and a few years of criminology is that you don’t fuck with owing people money, especially a government.
I cannot overstate this, false declarations are a really risky business.
The only thing pwcc sends is the card, I’ve never received any invoice or paperwork in the packages. The only thing I’ve ever received in the package besides the card was one time the card was in a leather pouch.
As a side note, for those in British Columbia, GSP is actually much cheaper than import handling normally a lot of the time since the charge is based on your Province tax rather than the point it comes in Canada which normally is Ontario.
Here I’m charged 5% on certain categories, but everywhere else has HST which charges GST+PST in a bundled charge.
last time PWCC sent me a card, it contained a declaration paper form covered in plasic on package: declared at $10.
UK here.
Yep… In Quebec it’s like 15% + $10 fees to import anything. GSP is almost always cheaper than that though, except on lower value stuff but that’s including the ridiculous shipping cost. I’m not paying $30 for a $50 item. lol