Is Auspost starting to charge receiver for underpaid parcels in 2021?

[matildasportsau]

I recently received 2 messages from my buyers saying that the large letter I sent to them were held at the counter and they need to pay for it, to be able to collect. Auspost don't even print a receipt for them, making me a bit confused.

Because I use my real address on the letter I send, so in the past I always receive a bill from Auspost regarding certain underpaid postage issues. Has they changed rules? I have always paid these bills, thus I shouldn't be on a blacklist, or is that what's happening here?

[digital*ghost]

---

@matildasportsau wrote:

New update, I am scammed.

---

That depends - if you are the one that put the parcel post tracking label on that, you are the one sending a package as a parcel without paying for it (regardless of whether it actually meets the requirements size-wise for a letter).

If you put that label on there, you can not expect to get parcel post services (tracking) without paying for parcel services, so it shouldn't be surprising when there's a label on there saying "I'm a parcel but only $2.20 postage was paid", and it results in Aus Post going "oh, well we'll have to charge the rest of the cost, then" (note: these labels are given out for free by Aus Post precisely because they are for parcels only and the tracking feature is included in the pricing, letter services require a registered post upgrade or the use of a pre-paid tracked envelope).

Those labels have been used and abused quite a lot in recent years, so while a lot of them may have slipped through, and may even still do so, I expect that more and more you'll find the tracking is either not maintained, gets cancelled /  void, or results in extra charges. 

[ambler57]

Im interested to know what was in the letter? If it was over 20mm including packaging Austpost would have been correct in charging the extra cost. Also you dont say what happened to the extra stamps he had to purchase.Austpost should have placed the stamps on the envelope and then cancelled them

By using a parcel tracking label on a large letter this turns the large letter into a parcel with a minimum cost of $8.95