It's always worth keeping in mind that EVERYBODY (handlers of packages) has
X-ray machines. And they are looking as the packages go through.

Unless disguised properly, money and shells are up for grabs. The addition of
the metallic band in US currency is particularly troubling. To use a famous
quote in this context, "All of the saints are in heaven."

In an age of cell phone cameras and video cameras, it is not hard to document
the mailing of packages. I learned the hard way that postal insurance is just
gravy to the US Postal Service. They turn right around and say, "PROVE that you
had anything of value in that package!" But, I'm not bitter.  :-/


Bob Dayle
http://cowry.org

_______________________________________________
Quoting Andrew Grebneff <[log in to unmask]>:

> On Sat, Jan 3, 2009 at 4:34 AM, John Varner <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Are there locales or dealers that are prone to having packages of shells
> > getting lost in transit?
>
> I buy shells from dealers in China, Canada, USA, Brasil and various
> European countries. Even occasionally from Uruguay, Argentina,
> Australia and Japan.
>
> Personally, I have only ever had one package of shells go missing in
> the mail. This was sent from Florida to New Zealand, and I know full
> well that the sender was totally trustworthy.
>
> I can't understand why these labelled parcels go missing, unless they
> are stolen at random by postal workers (or customs etc) hoping to find
> money or valuables.
>
> I have had cash go missing when I sent it, about 3 times to the US and
> once to South Africa. Fortunately these were not large sums.
>
> I HAVE paid for items and not received them because of dishonesty on
> the seller's parts; once for shells (John Wei, China), once for VW
> parts (and with another of the latter looking about to come true).
>
> I think the only places likely to suffer from serious depredation on
> packages would be Africa (excepting RSA) and Russia (and perhaps some
> other exSoviet-bloc countries).
>
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> Dunedin, New Zealand
> Fossil preparator
> Mollusc, Toyota & VW van nut
>
> <[log in to unmask]>
>
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