after he tried unsuccessfully for a week to recover money from being over-charged.

A mistake by the company led to John Whiting being charged too much Customs duty on sailing equipment he ordered from the United States.

Mr. Whiting pointed out the error to the company last Monday, but was unable to get his money back by Friday despite several attempts.

He claims every time he tried to get an answer and a refund, he was passed to different employees, and the woman supposed to be dealing with his case failed to return telephone calls.

Mr. Whiting, who runs a part-time boat repair business in Flatts, was charged $231 duty for the equipment when Federal Express dealt with Customs on his behalf last week.

The company failed to spot on the invoice that he had a 30 percent trade discount for which he should not have been charged, and he was wrongly billed for shipping.

The result was that he was charged duty on goods worth $650 rather than $455.

He claims he should also not have been charged the $91.60 because the seller paid that.

Mr. Whiting told The Royal Gazette : "You just get the runaround when they owe you. I had to pay cash on delivery for this stuff but when I tried to get my money back I got nowhere.

"They demand money up-front and I should enjoy the same privilege as them when they owe me.

"When I showed them they had made a mistake, they said I would have to see so-and-so and so-and-so.

"The lady who was supposed to have taken my number had left for the day and I was just given the runaround. They said I was supposed to come back to see another lady because she wasn't there.

"I said: `You've got my money and I want a refund'. Three times I've contacted them and I called again last night. The lady is never in the office.

She's gone home or she's at lunch and as yet I haven't had a call returned.'' The Royal Gazette faxed details of Mr. Whiting's case, including invoices and the bill of entry, to Federal Express on Friday morning.

A female in the accounts department promised someone would respond on Friday.

During a second call at 3.45 p.m., The Royal Gazette was told everyone from accounts had gone home so no-one could comment.