Walt - I had a similar experience with one of the frames I purchased from the UK this year. There was absolutely nothing in the box but the frame. When I mentioned something to the seller, he said he had filled the box with plastic peanuts! US Customs must have opened it up and dumped out the peanuts. Fortunately it was one I was already planning to repaint, and it was not damaged.
BTW all - I just got ANOTHER offer off of one of my CR classifieds from someone very willing to buy my Claud Butler frame, and asking what was my bottom line. I could tell his next email was going to be: "I have instructed my US agent to send you a check in the amount of $10,000...if you would kindly wire the balance to a special account for me via Western Union...."
I know because I got an offer just like this last week.
Anyway, I already sold the frame so told him so. Watch out for those bogus offers. They do happen.
Bob Freeman
Seattle