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Arpin Movers/Blue Dophin Ernie McNab Unprofessional and Fraudulent Clearwater Florida
The following review is my opinion and experience:
This company seems fraudulent and should not be allowed to operate in the state of Florida. I have moved many , many times in my lifetime, and this was the worst experience that I have ever had. There are too many reasons to list here as I am still exhausted from the move but I will touch on the "highlights".
First, the movers showed up to with one man and one small women. What should have taken approximately 4 hours, took 9 hours. I had to rearrange my closing, and make two trips instead of one of car loads. Then I was told by Kim (works for Blue Dolphin Moving and Arpin) that she "hates" her bipolar boss, Ernie McNab, and that he "makes" everyone pay cash before he will deliver their furniture/items. Well, I thought that was odd telling me that after the truck was completely loaded and they were about to leave.
Then, I was told that my belongings weighted 9,000 pounds, but that she hadn't weighed the truck BEFORE it was loaded. What? I have never owned 9,000 pounds in my life, even when I owned a house much bigger than the one I moved from. I was called by Ernie and he spoke to me like he was from the Mafia, and "made" me sign the new contract agreeing to the new price.
Then, before the final delivery (my things were in storage for 22 days) I was told a time they would be at my house. Then I was told that I HAD to pay a cashiers check. I told them that the CONTRACT stated that I could pay with a visa, why are they requiring cash? No one would respond to me. I called the office again and finally got a hold of someone (Operations Manager?) that said I could pay with Visa after all, but that my delivery would now be at 11, not 8 as originally stated because they now had "boxes" to pick up for someone else. Okay, so now I'm delayed because you have to pick up boxes???
THEN, I tried to call Kim from BLUE DOLPHIN (somehow associated with Ernie McNam from Arpin who was my POC) and I received NO RESPONSE. NOTHING. I contacted Ernie and he refused to tell me what time the movers would be at the house and IGNORED ME. It was clear my belongings were being held hostage until I agree to pay with a cashiers check. I only found out the time of the delivery by calling the office the morning of the move when they finally answered (after 8 am), that I would have a delivery around 11, but that "CASH" was "preferred". The message was clear, no cash, no delivery.
I did not sleep the entire night before, wondering if I would ever see my belongings again!!!! I am contacting local, state and federal authorities, the BBB, judicial representatives and an attorney!!! This man is Fraudulent under CONTRACT LAW, at a minimum. I found out that he's not allowed to move people in GEORGIA, that they had so many complaints he's been banned! FLORIDA needs to do the same, and I hope I help to end his harassment and criminal activities.
Please, don't ever use this person/companies to move. Kim from Blue Dolphin is just as culpable as she ignored my calls and texts trying to find out the time she would be delivering my furniture, causing me major stress!
Also, remotes and parts are missing along with scratched/damaged furniture!
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jim
Anaheim,California,
United States
Interesting Scam
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, May 01, 2018
...for a whole host of reasons, starting with the fact that Florida happens to be the home of most scam movers. The reason it's even more interesting is that Ernie McNab, who used to run the old Transworld Van Lines (and may still), seems to have created a moving company using the name of a legitimate mover (Arpin Van Lines) which has offices all over the country, including Florida.
Scam movers are fairly prevalent and Florida is their home, so I don't expect you'll be too effective in obtaining relief from anyone in the state; the scam you ran into is very common in Florida, and a whole host of states on both coasts. One Florida mover I recall had more than 650 complaints logged by the BBB in 36 months - their rating with the BBB? A- . Most movers don't stay in business under one name for that long to log 650 complaints - they close up shop, open under a new name, no one can find bad complaints against them, and the scam starts up all over again.
They have a pretty ironclad agreement which allows them to raise prices as long as they don't pull a hostage load, which is illegal. I'm not sure from your narrative that's what happened - I mean you allude to the possibility, but I'm not sure you could prove it, also based on your narrative. I also don't think a lawyer is going to help you either because the lawyer is going to find they really didn't breach the contract - at least from your narrative they didn't.
I do think you may have a case for fraud though and you might be able to collect - if Ernie used the name Arpin at all during the move; certainly the legitimate mover Paul Arpin Van Lines would be very interested in putting Ernie out of business for using a name too close to the legit mover's name. Don't believe you'll get him out of the moving business though. He'll just up and create a new company after a short period of time...
Sorry this happened to you - best of luck.