U.S. Movers / All State Van Lines (aka Morgan Van Lines) freight hostage and extortion ripoff Hallendale Brooklyn New York
Using a moving portal on the internet my husband booked our move in June of 2001 from MS to TX with "All State Van Lines" of Hallandale, FL. (I now find a company named "Morgan Van Lines" operating with the same address).
"All State/ Morgan" issued us a quotation for what the move would cost us based on an itemized list of our belongings that I compiled myself. Everything they did led us to believe that they would be the company to conduct the move.
On moving day, however, a truck belonging to U.S. Movers out of Brooklyn, NY arrives at our former residence. With my mother overseeing the move, these thugs then proceeded to throw our stuff into their truck, informing my poor mother after the fact that the move was going to cost nearly 3 times the original estimate, even though we had only added a few small boxes of books to the original line item list. After shoving a nearly illegible itemized moving list and bullying my mother into signing they took off with our stuff.
Our belongings ended up in a storage unit in Alabama until another U.S. movers truck was coming to TX. This ended up being nearly 3 weeks after the delivery date we had agreed upon with "All State a.k.a. Morgan" movers. Needless to say when I called either company to get to the bottom of what was going on - each blamed the other.
Finally we were informed that our things were coming at long last - and told we should have cash or a cashiers check on hand at time of delivery. Furthermore we were informed that if we didn't cough up the full amount (nearly three times what we'd originally been told the move would cost us), our belongings would be auctioned off within 60 days.
In the end, we coughed up the dough and got our things - which were damaged. Oh yeah, and the drivers DEMANDED a tip both times. It made me sick.
SO... next time we move we will do our homework. We will be absolutely sure that the company we are working with is the one conducting the move. If you have reservations about your mover - don't let them take your things. You have little protection under the law, particularly if your move is interstate!!!!
Christine
Dallas, Texas
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Kay
Blacksburg,Virginia,
your complaint makes a difference!
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 16, 2002
PLEASE!! It is very important that you make a formal complaint about this company. it is part of a vast racket of unscrupulous movers. Please complain to Attorney General Robert Butterworth and Assistant Attorney General Robert Julian at: AG@oag.state.fl.us
Also, complain to the Department of Transportation. Consumers may file household goods or other commercial motor carrier complaints via FMCSA's nationwide complaint hotline, 1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT). To further protect consumers, a commercial complaint form is now available on FMCSA's website at
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov. The form may be mailed or faxed to: FMCSA, 400 Seventh St., SW, MC-PA, Washington, DC 20590. The fax
number is 202-366-3375.
Making your complaint here on the Rip-off Report is important too, other consumers will find them when searching on the Internet.