Auction House thievery Lelands style

[CuriousGeorge]

So this past week Lelands had an auction closing and I won one card for a total of $60K. After receiving the invoice which included $623.59 for shipping and insurance, I contacted them to question it since I has simultaneously received invoices from Heritage and REA with higher value for much less shipping costs.

A woman named Jillian Clinedinst eventually responded to tell me that after looking at the invoice "it looks like they gave (me) a break. $606.59 alone is just for insurance given the total of your invoice (1% of the total is insurance) so they really only charged (me) $17 to ship." She proceeded to tell me "I can have the insurance removed if it is a problem. I just need you to respond saying that provided the material is well packed, Lelands will not be held responsible for any damages or losses during shipping."

I then asked her if her company was purchasing specific insurance with Fedex for this particular package or just using their general liability policy. No response. I asked again and she eventually went through all of the math with Fedex showing their insurance rates and how they got to $623.59 shipping. She specifically then said "we purchase insurance for each individual package we ship through Fedex based on the value of the shipment." And that "We purchase insurance for each individual package we ship through Fedex." She also reminded me that if I sent an email like she had suggested previously, that all of the shipping charges would be removed but they would take no responsibility.

Next I got another email from her. Because I was such a "good client with (them) she had reached out to her President on my behalf. He just got back to her and approved a break on my insurance loweing it to $200. He said in the event of anything happening we will absorb the remaining insurance."

I paid the bill and the card came today. I call Fedex and no insurance was ever bought for the package. I email Jillian and she doesn't answer. I email again and now receive a call from her "because she's so busy with invoices it's easier this way." She tells me they didn't buy insurance on my package because I didn't want to pay the full amount.

It's pretty clear to me this company is just stealing money from everyone under the auspices of paying for insurance on each package. In this case it was only $600+ but extrapolating it out over many auctions and many years it sure adds up. The bigger question for me is if they find the need to be stealing money from us this way when it is so obvious to see, what are they doing to us when we're bidding and in their T&C allowed to bid on any lots? Does someone perhaps have that answer?

PS - I just saw Lelands is an advertiser here so sorry Leon. But with all the shenanigans going on in this industry it doesn't seem right to let this pass as decent.