Complaint Review: Schumacher Cargo Logistics

Schumacher Cargo Logistics was subcontracted by Tevel Logistics who I contracted with to move door-to-door from Tel Aviv to San Diego.

Tevel packed up & sent my shipment, & contracted Schumacher to deal with customs on the U.S. end & do final delivery.

When my shipment arrived in the U.S., I was told that customs had required additional inspections, which would cause a delay and additional costs. I understand this happens, it is (probably) not Schumacher's fault. I was told by my shipping coordinator Tim Gallardo that it would be $285 in customs fees & other related "small additional fees." Schumacher billed me for $976. When I tried to speak with both Tim Gallardo & his manager Nik Nikoukar about this unfair charge I was held hostage & told that "either [I] pay the $976 or [they'll] hold my shipment & start charging [me] storage."

So I paid it, what choice did I have? ...but did they deliver my shipment as promised? No.

At first they didn't tell me there was a problem, they just said they'd call me with a delivery date. When that didn't happen. I called over & over again, trying to get the date in question to no avail. When I finally demanded they deliver it, I found out that my shipment was being held hostage for the second time, they told me there was an "accounting hold," (with no further explenation available) & to call Tevel Logistics to work it out.

So I did, I called Tevel multiple times. Every time they said everything was fine, that Schumacher must have a mistake in their paperwork, & that they would contact them to work it out.

Schumacher refused to tell me anything other than "accounting hold," when I demanded answers I was told by Nik Nikoukar that "[they] don't work for me," (since they were subcontracted by Tevel) despite the fact that I'd already paid them almost $1000. For 2 months I spent hours trying to get an honest answer from them on the phone, & emailing back & forth with them.

In the end I had to go to the BBB & threaten legal action, then I got the answer that Schumacher claims that Tevel never paid them (I don't know whether this is true or not, & given that every other thing they've told me has been a lie, I have my doubts), & only when I demanded they let me know how much Tevel owed them so I could contest the original credit card charge to Tevel & use that money to pay them (which I didn't have to do in the end), did they finally deliver my shipment, months late, & after tons of stress & hours if not days of my time wasted.

If they weren't paid by Tevel, that's bad business on Tevel's end. It still doesn't justify the other ripoffs or me being held hostage twice. Or how rude they were to me. Or my time that they wasted by refusing to give me a strait answer. Or the amount of stress they caused me. Or the fact that my shipment was 2 months late (when I did everything right). Or the fact that I was forced into the middle of their inter-company dispute. Or why "small fees," is >$600...