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Dolphin International Shipping, Aka IMCA Shipping Fraud Scam Ripoff Dolphin International Shipping (aka IMCA) took my money, never shipped goods Coral Springs Florida
We wanted to move some personal things from the UK to Missouri. We found Dolphin International Shipping on the web (and no bad reports at that time - mid July 2004). Their service was great until they got our money. We paid in full in advance, and I have a receipt from Kathryn Kaiser, apparently the boss, thinking us for out rapid payment.
We were told our things would arrive in 6 to 7 weeks. After 7 weeks we called to find out when we could expect it, only to be told it was still in London. I started looking online and began finding bad reports about Dolphin, unfortumately all posted after we had paid and our stuff was picked up.
Since then they have not responded to numerous emails, phone calls and voice messages. I call several times a day, and am usually told that either Kathryn or Marty are "on the other line" or will "email us with shipping details by tmorrow morning" but it's all bullshit. The company in London who picked our stuff up (in early August) have not been paid and they are faxing and emailing Dolphin every day but they get no reply either.
Kelly, who answers the phone at Dolphin, always telle me I need to speak to Kathryn or Marty (I assume these are the chief architects of this scam but there are others calling themselves IMCA shipping - that's why they answer the phone as "International Shipping" because IMCA and Dolphin have the same phone number and are the same people). Kathryn and Marty have conveniently just relocated to Chicago, where Kelly claims that they have no address or phone number. In fact they do have a phone number, 773 583 1650, with an answer machine. I once spoke to a real person on this line who told me that Kathryn would call back within the hour. That was ten days ago, and I have called that number at least 20 time in between but it's always the same message telling me that my call "is important" to them.
Other people I have had contact with, who I assume are also crooks, are Daniel Cuadrado (in charge of sales). Daniel refuses to talk to me, even though he is the person I spoke to when arranging the shipping in the first place, because he "just does sales". There lies the key to the whole scam, they are just sales (i.e. taking your money) and no service in return.
We have contacted the Federal Maritime Commission last week and are currently in contact with the Attorney General's offices of Missouri, Florida and Illinois. If nothing else I hope we can spare other people the hassle that this has caused. Would love to be able to contact other people who have posted here directly, does anyone know how we can do this? Anyway I can tell you that simply calling and hoping will get you nowhere - it took two weeks for this to finally sink in, and it seems that some kind of action is the only way to get either our stuff shipped or our money back. Best of luck to everyone else out there, and please don't even think about using this company!!!
Alan
Columbia, Missouri
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Alan
Columbia,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Dolphin Internatonal Shipping Federal Maritime Commission
#2Author of original report
Fri, October 15, 2004
Places to go to take action against Dolphin:
(i) Federal Maritime Commission, www.fmc.gov
call (202) 523 5807 to register your complaint. They will ask for a written complaint as well, but right now they are investigating Dolphin and the more people that call the better. Mailing address:
Office of Consumer Sffairs and Dispute Resolution Services, Federal Maritime Commission. 800 North Capitol Street NW, Washington DC 20573
You can also email complaints to: complaints@fmc.gov
(ii) Better Business Bureau, Southeast Florida:
www.bbbsoutheastflorida.org
(iii) Dade County Consumer Protection
www.miamidade.gov/csd/
(305) 375 3677
(iv) Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
www.800helpfla.com
phone 850 488 2221
I have asked Dolphin for a full refund, and will find someone else reliable to ship my things.
Good luck to everyone else, the FMC has told me they are already investigating this company and more calls will push it higher up their list of priorities