Dolphin International Shipping ripoff moving scam kept in storage never delivered Coral Springs Florida
My husband and I were shipping some things to London, because he had got a new job there. We searched for a company on the internet to do the shipping, and we found Dolphin International which made a very good impression.
We agreed that our things should be picked up on August 19, and three days prior to that, we had paid a deposit of $300. The rest of the money was going to be paid by my husband's employer in London, and so we had agreed with Dolphin to bill them directly.
Three weeks later, when we contacted Dolphin again with my husband's permanent address in London, we asked what was happening with the shipment. We also informed them that the invoice was not yet received by the employer, so we reminded them to send it to them.
It was very hard to reach the right person on the phone, since neither Marty nor Kathryn was ever in the office, but finally (after a week or so) we got a reply back from Marty saying that the things was put in a storage since they hadn't received the payment for the shipment. We then reminded them that it was the employer that was supposed to pay for this, and that they are still waiting for the bill.
Even a representative for my husband's employer wrote to them, and ask them to hurry up, since it was not our fault that they had not sent the bill. He asked them to start the shipping and at the same time send the bill to them so that he could pay them.
Kathryn wrote back saying that "payment does need to be made prior to delivery of his shipment for reasons to obvious to even be addressed".
Meanwhile I found some reports at ripoffreport.com, and got really suspicious about this company. The experience we had with Dolphin fits perfectly in with the experience the other people that filed a report had. I also read some more and realize that this treatment fits perfectly into the moving scam.
We then asked them to cancel the shipment, and to deliver our things back to my home in Charlottesville.
Kathryn wrote back to us saying that she has agreed with the employer to start the shipping and that they pay for the shipment in the meantime.
Since we have no way of checking that they actually ship the things, we have told the employer not to pay, and we want our stuff back. Today I wrote Kathryn again, with that information, and I am waiting for her reply.
Sara
Charlottesville, Virginia
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Sara
Charlottesville,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Paid $646 to local movers to get our things out
#7Author of original report
Fri, October 22, 2004
There are some news: I contacted a consumer journalist in a
local paper, and she helped me to get the name of the local movers from Dolphin. She also wrote the article
http://readthehook.com/stories/2004/09/23/theFearlessConsumerTransat.html
If more people contact the press it would be good in many ways. It would at least warn others. Anyway, we paid the local movers $646, and decided to ship our things with Allied Van Lines. The
shipment is now on its way to London.
I have contacted FMC and BBB, and I even filed a report at the FBI website (at www.movingscam.com there is a link to a website where one can give an online report. I hope it helps). FMC is helping me a bit. I hope it works.
Donna, can you please tell your son that there is now a yahoo group Victims_of_Dolphin_International where we discuss how to fight back. It would be great if all victims of Dolphin would join.
Donna
Palm Desert,,California,
U.S.A.
Dolphin is a Rip-Off Company
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, October 13, 2004
My son and his wife shipped their furniture from Santa Maria, CA July 26th, 2004, paid $7,099.00 on July 22, 2004 and was told it would take 6-8 weeks to arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina, door to door! It arrrived in BA around Sept. 18th so we were told and have been trying ever since to get it released. For the first two weeks we were told the name was wrong. My sons real name is Bobby Ray Fowler and Dolphin (for some reason only known to them) changed his name to Robert Fowler. His passport, which they have a copy of, even says Bobby Ray Fowler. Kelly at Dolphin kept telling us for two weeks Kathryn Kaiser was working on getting that changed so the furniture could be released. In the mean time they wanted $850.00 more which my son paid in BA. Two weeks ago tomorrow, American Steamship informs us they are holding the container because Dolphin has never paid them. I have faxed a copy of the wire transfer of the $7,099.00 to everyone I have been talking to, American Steamship and Mediterranean Shipping. Dolphin will not give me their fax number! I have spent hours talking or trying to talk to everyone they have told me to call, Delia in NY, Marty, Kelly, Barry & Suzanna in FL, Diane at Mediterranean, Paula at American Steamship. No one can help me and KATHRYN KAISER will not and has never returned one of my phone calls. Dolphin will not even give out her phone number. This is the biggest RIP-OFF COMPANY and something has to be done to put them out of business. In the mean time the container is setting at a dock running up demurage charges, and my son, his wife and 8 month old baby girl are without anything! Just the last two days I have spent 246 minutes trying to get some answers. Dolphin had to deliberately change Bobby's name and they also deliberatley left off his wife's name which had to be on the B/L because she is a citizen of Argentina. Her name if Maria Belen Gurruchaga-Fowler. Can you please help us or tell me who can? Thank you, Bobby Mother, Donna
Donna
Palm Desert,,California,
U.S.A.
Dolphin is a Rip-Off Company
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, October 13, 2004
My son and his wife shipped their furniture from Santa Maria, CA July 26th, 2004, paid $7,099.00 on July 22, 2004 and was told it would take 6-8 weeks to arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina, door to door! It arrrived in BA around Sept. 18th so we were told and have been trying ever since to get it released. For the first two weeks we were told the name was wrong. My sons real name is Bobby Ray Fowler and Dolphin (for some reason only known to them) changed his name to Robert Fowler. His passport, which they have a copy of, even says Bobby Ray Fowler. Kelly at Dolphin kept telling us for two weeks Kathryn Kaiser was working on getting that changed so the furniture could be released. In the mean time they wanted $850.00 more which my son paid in BA. Two weeks ago tomorrow, American Steamship informs us they are holding the container because Dolphin has never paid them. I have faxed a copy of the wire transfer of the $7,099.00 to everyone I have been talking to, American Steamship and Mediterranean Shipping. Dolphin will not give me their fax number! I have spent hours talking or trying to talk to everyone they have told me to call, Delia in NY, Marty, Kelly, Barry & Suzanna in FL, Diane at Mediterranean, Paula at American Steamship. No one can help me and KATHRYN KAISER will not and has never returned one of my phone calls. Dolphin will not even give out her phone number. This is the biggest RIP-OFF COMPANY and something has to be done to put them out of business. In the mean time the container is setting at a dock running up demurage charges, and my son, his wife and 8 month old baby girl are without anything! Just the last two days I have spent 246 minutes trying to get some answers. Dolphin had to deliberately change Bobby's name and they also deliberatley left off his wife's name which had to be on the B/L because she is a citizen of Argentina. Her name if Maria Belen Gurruchaga-Fowler. Can you please help us or tell me who can? Thank you, Bobby Mother, Donna
Donna
Palm Desert,,California,
U.S.A.
Dolphin is a Rip-Off Company
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, October 13, 2004
My son and his wife shipped their furniture from Santa Maria, CA July 26th, 2004, paid $7,099.00 on July 22, 2004 and was told it would take 6-8 weeks to arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina, door to door! It arrrived in BA around Sept. 18th so we were told and have been trying ever since to get it released. For the first two weeks we were told the name was wrong. My sons real name is Bobby Ray Fowler and Dolphin (for some reason only known to them) changed his name to Robert Fowler. His passport, which they have a copy of, even says Bobby Ray Fowler. Kelly at Dolphin kept telling us for two weeks Kathryn Kaiser was working on getting that changed so the furniture could be released. In the mean time they wanted $850.00 more which my son paid in BA. Two weeks ago tomorrow, American Steamship informs us they are holding the container because Dolphin has never paid them. I have faxed a copy of the wire transfer of the $7,099.00 to everyone I have been talking to, American Steamship and Mediterranean Shipping. Dolphin will not give me their fax number! I have spent hours talking or trying to talk to everyone they have told me to call, Delia in NY, Marty, Kelly, Barry & Suzanna in FL, Diane at Mediterranean, Paula at American Steamship. No one can help me and KATHRYN KAISER will not and has never returned one of my phone calls. Dolphin will not even give out her phone number. This is the biggest RIP-OFF COMPANY and something has to be done to put them out of business. In the mean time the container is setting at a dock running up demurage charges, and my son, his wife and 8 month old baby girl are without anything! Just the last two days I have spent 246 minutes trying to get some answers. Dolphin had to deliberately change Bobby's name and they also deliberatley left off his wife's name which had to be on the B/L because she is a citizen of Argentina. Her name if Maria Belen Gurruchaga-Fowler. Can you please help us or tell me who can? Thank you, Bobby Mother, Donna
Donna
Palm Desert,,California,
U.S.A.
Dolphin is a Rip-Off Company
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, October 13, 2004
My son and his wife shipped their furniture from Santa Maria, CA July 26th, 2004, paid $7,099.00 on July 22, 2004 and was told it would take 6-8 weeks to arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina, door to door! It arrrived in BA around Sept. 18th so we were told and have been trying ever since to get it released. For the first two weeks we were told the name was wrong. My sons real name is Bobby Ray Fowler and Dolphin (for some reason only known to them) changed his name to Robert Fowler. His passport, which they have a copy of, even says Bobby Ray Fowler. Kelly at Dolphin kept telling us for two weeks Kathryn Kaiser was working on getting that changed so the furniture could be released. In the mean time they wanted $850.00 more which my son paid in BA. Two weeks ago tomorrow, American Steamship informs us they are holding the container because Dolphin has never paid them. I have faxed a copy of the wire transfer of the $7,099.00 to everyone I have been talking to, American Steamship and Mediterranean Shipping. Dolphin will not give me their fax number! I have spent hours talking or trying to talk to everyone they have told me to call, Delia in NY, Marty, Kelly, Barry & Suzanna in FL, Diane at Mediterranean, Paula at American Steamship. No one can help me and KATHRYN KAISER will not and has never returned one of my phone calls. Dolphin will not even give out her phone number. This is the biggest RIP-OFF COMPANY and something has to be done to put them out of business. In the mean time the container is setting at a dock running up demurage charges, and my son, his wife and 8 month old baby girl are without anything! Just the last two days I have spent 246 minutes trying to get some answers. Dolphin had to deliberately change Bobby's name and they also deliberatley left off his wife's name which had to be on the B/L because she is a citizen of Argentina. Her name if Maria Belen Gurruchaga-Fowler. Can you please help us or tell me who can? Thank you, Bobby Mother, Donna
Kathryn
Coral Springs,Florida,
U.S.A.
Customer is responsible for paying prior to pick up under Contract
#7UPDATE Employee
Fri, September 17, 2004
Our customer of record received and executed a Work Order which clearly stated:
"payment of your price quotation is due by cashier's check or wire transfer 3 days prior to pick up".
In addition, at the time we confirmed our customer's pick-up, in light of the fact that no payment had been received, the customer agreed to pay the local origin agent directly, therefore permitting his shipment to be picked up and dispatched for shipment.
The customer failed to pay the local origin agent as agreed.
After communicating with the customer, this company received an e-mail from the customer's employer advising that they were to be responsible for the customer's invoice. Based upon that information, we agreed to go forward with the shipment. This is outside of our normal policy and the normal policy of most international movers who require pre-payment prior to shipment.
48 hours later, we received a request from the customer that their shipment be released and returned to their residence. The customer has been advised that we will cancel our contract and will instruct the local origin agent to work through details for return of the shipment directly with the customer.