Fed Ex Bill - Am I responsible??

[Gayle Cumbus]

I completed an appraisal in October for lender in California. I asked for an email address, and emailed the hard copy. It was COD. They later called and wanted a "hard copy", as they are one of the oddballs who will not accept PDF format as a hard copy. They gave me their FED EX number over the phone, and I sent this. I just received an invoice from FED EX (Yes in March) for $42.36, ($21.50 being for the original charge, $10.00 for a non-account billing charge, $10.00 in rebilling fee and $.86 for fuel surcharge!!!!) I always get everything in writing, but did not even think about getting them to put their FED EX number in writing. I guess FED EX thinks I got this number of the recipient via osmosis!! I am calling FED EX in the AM, but am I at all liable for this incredulous amount??? I am fuming!!!

 

[Ross (CO)]

Gayle, you say "they gave you their FedEx number" which really should set things straight. Obviously the acct. number is not your's. There are however on those carbonized froms those little boxes that get checked off, i.e the one for "Bill Recipient", rather than the others for "Bill Sender" or "Bill 3rd Party". I am sure you kept the sender copy of that label. How was it filled out by you ? Hopefully you were not too rushed to have forgotten to check the correct square before you dropped that envelope in the box. If it said "bill sender" by mistake, your goose may be cooked ! I once sent a UPS envelope and forgot to take my sender copy from top of label. Oh, it got there just fine, but I had no tracking reference and no ship copy for my file, even though it was the client's account number. When you do speak to FedEx, ask first for a confirmation of the acct. # you were given with the client's actual identity. If they gave you a totally bogus number, maybe a helpful hint to the Forum would be good for others to read, hint, hint. Best wishes, hope it works out for you.

 

[Gayle Cumbus]

Ross,
Yes I have a copy of the airbill, which I pulled out of the file. It does say bill "Recipient", so I am clear there.
Yes, learn from my mistake - get EVERYTHING in writing, even an overnight shipping number!!!!
If they gave me a bogus number, then FED EX should never have delivered it without notifying me.

 

[Larry Lyke]

I imagine if you read the FedEx waybill you will find that you are responsibile if it ricochets.

HOWEVER, is this a reputable mortgage comapny? I do recipient billing all the time. Even with new customers wanting overnight, I ask them for their account number. They get so much of a better rate that the little ol' shipper like me gets. One customer I even had pre-printed bills. These bills had my customer number on them but were pre-printed with a Client's account number.

 

[David S. Roberson]

Gayle;

Did you use a pre-printed Fed-X label with your address on it? I used to use those, and even when I checked "Bill Recipient", they would bill me instead. They told me that if I used their pre-printed invoices, I would get the bill no matter what box I checked. Do not use your pre-printed labels if it is to be billed to anyone but you!

 

[vargasteve]

I also have had similar probems - I believe Fed Ex is part of the issue - on several ocasions I've been given the lenders legitimate Fed Ex #, however I've often recieved the bill regardless of filling out the form properly. For our office this was a recurring problem, and since I actually don't pay the bills (my wife is nice enough to) they (Fex Ex) were getting away wity it on a regular basis. Currently, if I do Fed Ex something to a customer I no longer will use my preprinted Fed Ex forms with my account # clearly printed on them, and I don't use my company name in the heading, nor will I let Fed Ex come to my office to 'Pick it up' (another excuse to bill me). Now I just drop it off at the nearest FedEx box on the way to an inspection or other trip, and save a copy of the form for tracking purposes in the file. This illiminates the 'Mistake' from happening, and the burden on Fed Ex to bill the correct individual. :?

 

[Leon Stewart]

Why not contact the Mortgage Company you did the Report for. They should be able to get it cleared up, but at least you would eliminate the possibility of Fed X double billing.

leon