r/Durban • u/ViroCMN • Jul 24 '25
The Courier Guy doing Dodgy Business, please be aware
Hi Everyone
This is a warning and or heads up regarding the dodgy business and behind the scenes of the Courier Guy in South Africa. Please share this and or help put a stop to this.
I've been a customer of the courier guy since they started, I've done well over a million rands worth of parcels through them, we have had a few problems in the past but always managed to sort it out until now, they refuse to do anything about this and in fact are acting spiteful because I brought it up today, Here is how they take your money and many are not aware of this.
If you have an account they take extra charges when they feel like it, you may have noticed an extra R20-R60 extra off your account here n there inconsistently. So let's say you book a box for collection it's 21x21x21cm weighing 2kg... The online cost of such a booking is R103, ok great then you may be charged an additional R40-R60, but where are the invoicing for such charges? There are rates at which you get charged for parcels and get invoiced accordingly, but these extra charges are unbilled, unverified and at times random. If you do many of these boxes per day, the additional charges stack up quickly. The issue is they are taking money without invoicing, so your books end up not balancing.
I have all the proof and screenshots and what's ups, but obviously can't post that here. If someone out there can maybe help launch fraud charges or some kind of investigation into TCG, then that's what we need.
Side Note, they had a malware problem a while ago which I brought to their attention because they didn't bother with the problem prior to me filing an official complaint, I tried doing that now with this, but instead they just deducted more money off my account in spite. I had 2 way authentication on my account, but that was removed. They had hackers use their push service via WhatsApp and SMS to contact you and ask for payment for parcels. You may have had this issue with your customers complaining of false courier SMSes, well it all came from The Courier Guy. I do see that they have patched this with no public statements. Just hush, hush ...
The Courier Guy Drivers get paid min wage and that is becoming a problem because it opens the door for the need to look for more income. They would do things they normally would never do if they earned more money. This Risk is on us ... They really need to pay their drivers more money.
The Courier Guy Depots are privately owned, and they take chances by having full access to your account. Any Branch can take money or bill you as they seem fit at any time. There is no oversight.
The Courier Guy is becoming very big, and before they become too big we need to do something about their dodgy habits and hold them publically accountable. I unfortunately have to use their service because there are no alternatives where I am, I am just sick of them taking money out my account randomly. It looks to be close to R100k already that is unaccounted for over the years :(
Please share this and help get the word out.
11
u/privateblanket Jul 24 '25
Have you tried using Courier Guy through BobGo? They are a great company and will deal directly with the Courier services. Saved us a chunk by having their team resolving issues with couriers on their side. Plus many of the courier services have contracts with them which give special shipping rates.
13
u/Katoolsie Jul 24 '25
I use BobGo as well. I love it. It's awesome having access to so many courier services with a single account. Much better than just having an account with a single courier
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u/ViroCMN Jul 24 '25
Oh wow ... this sounds awesome and thank you will most def check that out NOW! Thanks again!!
2
u/privateblanket Jul 24 '25
Yeah so it’s the Bid or Buy group, hence the Bob. We work with them closely. You can either select a specific courier or you can have them pick for you, they take all of the rates and compare and then use the cheapest option out of them. Take a look, they are very rad. Edit: they are also launching/have launched BobBox which is heir own ship to locker solution similar to Pargo of Pudo.
1
u/privateblanket Jul 24 '25
Yeah so it’s the Bid or Buy group, hence the Bob. We work with them closely. You can either select a specific courier or you can have them pick for you, they take all of the rates and compare and then use the cheapest option out of them. Take a look, they are very rad. Edit: they are also launching/have launched BobBox which is their own ship to locker solution similar to Pargo or Pudo.
6
u/AnywhereHuman3058 Jul 24 '25
Been using EPX and Bigfoot for almost 3 years, books balance, invoices tally, no hidden charges, i have a problem maybe once every 3 months with a single parcel.
I never get estimates so i can't comment on that part, but there are large courier companies AND small courier companies that do just as good, if not, a better job. Zultrans and D&H service smaller areas within KZN too.
Prices may vary, but it's better than being taken for a ride.
5
u/marco333polo Jul 24 '25
It's not courier guy, it takes you to a website made to look like it's their website but the URL is wrong! It's a scam!
12
u/Semjaja Jul 24 '25
Ok, so your parcel is quoted at a certain amount but does it leave your premises at precisely those weights and dims? Sometimes an additional 2 or 3cm pushes you into the next bracket.
Are you sure you're sending to where you think you're sending? For example, people up north will often think that somewhere like Paarl or Wellington is in Cape Town and thus request a quote to Cape Town. Thing is, Paarl and Wellington may be seen as regional and thus additional costs may be incurred.
I've been in the courier business for about 30 years and also use Courier Guy (amongst others) but have not had your experience. They do become a little useless over the Nov/Dec madness, but that's all couriers that time of the year.
3
u/ViroCMN Jul 24 '25
Yes, parcel is exactly as recorded as many before it same items, same box and same destination. One day i get overcharged, the rest of the days not. They collect boxes from us every day, some days we get these extra charges but mostly not and when I query it, it gets ignored and in fact they add another R40 - R60 out of spite as if to say shut up otherwise I just take more money from u, what are you going to do about it?
1
u/Professional-Pen1641 Jul 28 '25
Just email them enquiring about the charge. As the guy above said it's usually because they get different measurements or weight than what you initially got the quote for. I have had this issue before where their measuring machine makes a mistake and they will check on cameras or re measure manually if the package is still with them. They've always refunded me when they found a mistake.
4
u/3Terriers_ Jul 24 '25
Dude, just go to the police if you feel TCG is defrauding you. Nothing you stated here sounds illegal or like fraud. There are thousands of phising scams including Click and PnP. Why would it make sense for the company to do that? You should not click on fishy links.
6
u/Winged_firefly Jul 24 '25
From Gauteng. I signed up for Courier guy 5 years ago and opted for fastway for 1 year due to cheaper rates and supposed same day delivery. I will happily pay TCG’s rate for a reliable service. I have not had unexplainable amounts being debited from my account. I do feel their rates have increased but I think it’s because they are pushing pudo as a cheaper alternative.
Fastway is another story..
6
u/SubstantialSelf312 Jul 24 '25
I have also been using The Courier Guy extensively. They are my go-to courier service and I have never encountered any unethical behaviour.
1
u/ViroCMN Jul 24 '25
Unfortunately, I had an indecent on day one with a Driver, but management did act swiftly. TCG has their up sides and downsides but now with these hidden charges I feel its a game breaker
3
u/HaydenMackay Jul 24 '25
Weirdly. I once had an issue with management and the driver acted swiftly and fixed the problem.
3
u/alkankyvich Jul 24 '25
They gave a package of mine to a subcontractor which was then stolen and gave me the run around for years after I reported it, subsequently telling me it's been too long...
All receipts and emails present, even with their own admissions. Over R4k lost.
3
u/WhiteCloudMinnowDude Jul 24 '25
Their overnight options take 3 days you pay over 50% more but it takes the same time to ship. . . . Courier guy sucks tbh.
3
u/IndigoGirl_09 Jul 24 '25
I have been using TCG for many years. I have had issues but nothing that couldn't be solved. And I always recommend TCG over any other courier.I have never encountered any of the issues that you mentioned. As far as the pricing goes there is a notification that if you don't book the correct measurements you will be billed for it.
And the only other time where the price you book won't match the price charged is when a parcel needs to be delivered to a rural area or an area that is considered not safe for drivers to deliver to but it is displayed upon booking or you will receive an email notifying the aforementioned and you have to respond that the recipient can either collect at the depot or return the parcel to you.
3
u/Adamzimmy123 Jul 24 '25
Never had an issue with the courier guy over the years - if you have an issue take it up with their management , or take legal action
3
u/hageOtoko Jul 24 '25
Look at your billing transactions on your tcg account and compare that to your bank statement. If there transactions going off that’s not on your billing transactions, let them know, and if they don’t credit your account or reverse the transactions you can open up a case agains them or go to the ombudsman. I have never had this issue and have been using them for years.
Also, the process millions of parcels a month, why would they single you out to spite you? Doesn’t make sense.
7
u/Bored470 Jul 24 '25
For all we know, you could just be a competitor trying to bad mouth them?
Never had any such problems with them before.
-2
u/ViroCMN Jul 24 '25
Sure, u can't trust the Internet but as you can read in the comments others also have this problem and its big enough to warrant a discussion, sounds like you are an invested interest in TCG, that or a paid Troll or maybe just too much Coolaid? Never had such problems ?? Lol Until you do.
8
u/Zsaber Jul 24 '25
Sorry to add in, but none of the other comments corroborate yours. There are only a handful of comments so far and some offer advice and alternatives, but so far no one else has said they are having the same type of issues...
0
u/ViroCMN Jul 24 '25
This is only Durban ... try look further lmao
7
u/Zsaber Jul 24 '25
Lol I looked where you told the other dude to look, at the comments. And there wasn't anything there. I'm not as invested in this as you are, and I'm not saying your story is a sham or anything. I regularly use tcg and your title made me check it out if there was something to be aware of. So far seems anecdotal, as it's only you. Not hundreds of people saying they have also been charged like that, at least not yet. I see there is another comment saying they lost a package and while unfortunate isn't really a proven track record.
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u/ViroCMN Jul 24 '25
I didnt tell you to do anything ... seems you may be a bit confused. I posted this on many places not just Durban ... and you should see some of the comments remember not all show unless u click see full discussion , hope that brings more clarity.
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u/eishburger Jul 25 '25
Parcels are charged by size and weight. So a stone brick would cost R100. A brick of lead would cost R450 because it weighs 20kg Same size, different weights.
That's the extra charge.
That is probably the issue. Heavy parcels
2
u/cjl_elite Jul 25 '25
I have extensive experience with most local couriers as I’m in e-commerce. Here’s the thing about them - they go through periods of being really good, and then can become terrible and frustrating at any moment. It’s like a cycle. Don’t be afraid to try out the others.
I’ve left Courier It, The Courier Guy and others when they start consistently dropping the ball - Courier It particularly absolutely collapsed with their recent merger with RTT. Had poor experience with Dawn Wing but since they’ve been operating under DPD Laser they’ve been amazing.
That being said, this sounds like something that should come down to a regional / remote surcharge, or the dims / weight might be incorrect.
2
u/1Em420 Jul 25 '25
Courier guy charged me R91 for a parcel from Durban to Cradock and then R431 for the parcel from Cradock to Fish river , that's just over 30km from Cradock.
2
u/ResolutionFit5680 Jul 25 '25
We also send a lot of parcels with them. Personally had some issues, but there isn't any company with a better reputation. They are also getting really expensive
Looks like they might have competition coming up if a large courier company steps up their game or a larger investor comes into play.
If we do find someone better, we will gladly switch over without looking back but there isn't anyone on that level.
The one problem I noticed is that they are subcontracting a lot. The problem with the subcontracted drivers is that they are always in a hurry and never friendly which is the complete opposite to the courier guy a few years ago Initially, we chose to use them as they weren't outsourcing.
So till then, we'll still be using them
2
u/GuitarsAndPoker Jul 29 '25
This happened to me now. An additional R1200 on a R150 delivery. Looking it seems they got the weight very wrong. 2.25 Kg parcel and they charged for a 22.5 kg parcel. Probably some dumb errors on their input system.
1
u/ViroCMN Jul 29 '25
Yeah they forget the decimal point often, They charged me 1700 for 3 small boxes from Pine Town to Cape Town total weight about 12kg and small and I complained and I was told nothing is wrong this happened for about a year until a senior HQ person got involved and I was never charged more than R500 again after that, so obviously something Dodgy at the Pine Town Branch
2
u/Jaded-Jicama4118 Jul 24 '25
I bought some items from Levi's online Store with free shipping. Delivered via Courier Guy, not the best service I have ever had, but that's not the issue here. About a week later I get an SMS, ostensibly from Courier Guy claiming there is an outstanding+-R18 owing to them. Ignored it, and have not heard since. Have again ordered from Levi's and am a little apprehensive, but Levi's themselves are also not the best online experience. I really wish we were able to specify which courier service/s we prefer, especially where we are putting our money upfront, which is normally the case.
3
u/ShadowRealm1010 Jul 24 '25
That sounds like a phising scam was there a link on that sms to make payment?
2
u/Jaded-Jicama4118 Jul 25 '25
Can't recall,as I deleted it immediately. My last Levi's order was shipped by two other contractors btw.
2
u/Cap-Regular Jul 25 '25
Only way is social media write a short tweet ie name and shame I’ll repost on twitter I have 12k followers
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u/pajuiken Jul 26 '25
I deposited 3000 once and it never loaded. They told me 'oh, deposits can be for unpaid older invoices'
MF i work cash with you
Still not resolved even though i send numerous bank statements, screenshots and whatnot - i am meeting new shipping companies this week
1
u/Uglyboynextdoor Aug 01 '25
To clarify the extra charges. First of all TCG charges by dimensions and size not distance so clients with accounts underbook their parcels deliberately hoping to be charged less. You will find one booking a 15kg suitcase whose dimensions are actually high as maybe 20 x 20 x 20 and 5kg(some even input a 20kg parcel as 1kg). Obviously with such you will be billed less. Problem starts when the parcels go through the SWAD machine(located in warehouses). This machine amends the parcels dimensions and weight, which then causes the extra charges. Ask yourself why clients that go to the kiosks for help and do not have accounts never have such issues.
And drivers are actually paid by their handlers, not TCG. The handlers are very well compensated, they are the ones who underpay their drivers.
1
u/MayContainRawNuts Jul 25 '25
Been using TCG since they started. Never had issues like you describe.
Your tone sounds very hostile like you want to take them down, so just stop using them. Plenty of other courier services around. This post sounds like a Karen going "im going to report you on social media" instead of taking the time to figure out how thier account works or just moving to another courier company.
27
u/_AngryBadger_ Jul 24 '25
Can't say about the charges, but you will still get fake sms's claiming you have a parcel, not just from Courier Guy but from Postnet, DHL, Fedex, basically all of them. They aren't being generated using any of the courier company infrastructure, it's a phishing scam. I run an IT company in Durban and have had to keep many of clients away from clicking and following those links. There isn't anything any of the courier companies can do about this.
Regarding your issues with the extra charges, if you feel like you can prove it, go and open a case against them with the SAPS, or total them all up and go to small claims court and see what they bring to the table as a counter argument.