Christelle Bamona received a brown paper package that was tied up with strings and proverbial red tape.

“I thought, 'This is a scam,'” said the San Leandro resident. But it wasn’t. It turns out that her uncle in the United Kingdom sent her a surprise. “Well, I got another surprise,” Bamona explained. “An invoice from UPS for $426 in tariffs.”

Yes, a $426 tariff bill for what Christelle says is just a roughly $60 box of chocolates.

“It’s only chocolate,” she said.

Christelle said UPS sent her the tariff invoice before she ever saw the box. So, she contacted UPS.

“I called them up and I said, ‘Hey, I think there’s been a mistake. I can’t possibly owe $426 in tariffs for chocolate.’”

Christelle did not pay it.

Usually, a shipper won't deliver until you’ve paid your tariff bill And yet,

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