On Thursday of last week businessman Matthew Smiling told us that someone was using his business address and personal phone numbers to run a shipping scam. He said people were calling and coming to him looking for one Allan Smiling to pick up their packages. He assumed this Alan Smiling was fictitious and using his name as a front. Turns out, that's not so. Today the man Smiling mentioned visited our studios to say it's no scam - just a very regrettable and costly mix-up.
Allan Smillin - that's SMILLIN of Belize Freight Services who operates out of Los Angeles came to say that because of reasons beyond his control he's been unable to deliver some shipments on time. For his customers - eager to get their packages that meant tracking down the only other similarly named person they could find, but for him it's meant the loss of reputation, and even being detained and questioned by police.
Smillin says police picked him up on Friday and did not release him until Saturday night, all this even as he's running a legitimate business.
Allan Smillin,
"Some times from Houston our shipments get a little delay and I guess people just get agitated and they sort of, since we have the same last name, it is just that he is 'ing' and mine is 'llin,' they just link us together and they just called and started harassing him for packages and stuff. But it is one of those things in this business, we could never get our shipment on time sometimes because of bad weather and traffic. When the shipment leaves our hand, we have no control and for example my shipment for this Christmas season got delayed big time and this week I am going to have to clear it and do distribution, it just got here.
So I could understand, people paying for their stuff. We could have our schedule on time but like I said, when the shipment leaves our hands and the vessel takes it over, you never know what happens, delays."
Alfonso Noble,
Do you think you failed in not communicating with people and telling them that 'your shipment is delayed and it is going to be here in such and such a time' and that kind of thing?
Allan Smillin,
"Well whenever the shipment would be delayed, I would get on my call list and start calling people. Some people I reach, some others I don't because there is no contact number. Nevertheless I could understand, like I said their pain, and it is very hard to get it perfect. If people could bear patience with me, they will get their stuff. A hundred percent I am responsible, honest, and I don't have a bad reputation with no one. Maybe for the late shipment, my transit time is not quick enough."
Anyone wishing to get in contact with Allan Smillin can do so by calling telephone number 601-0396.
