Ordered from South Africa for the first time and the virtual card payment triggered every fraud check the bank has.
Customs handling fees are charged by the carrier, not the state, which is why they are so hard to contest.
The published rule and the enforcement pattern are different documents and only one of them affects your parcel.
Declarations that contradict the return address are the ones that get opened.
Photograph everything before you open it. It takes ten seconds and settles most disputes.
What is the thing you check first now?
Split orders. Two small parcels beat one large one for reasons that have nothing to do with price.
File early. The window is shorter than people think and it starts at the transaction.
Do you contact the customs office or the carrier first?