Eilid Moving and Storage Rip-off, consumer fraud

My harrowing experience with this company took place during the week of August 12-18 when I moved from New Haven, Connecticut to Radford, Virginia. I like to think of myself as a rather savvy consumer and being aware of moving company scams, I did extensive research before engaging AAAVanlines of Miami, Florida.

Research and phone calls to the DOT turned up no red flags on this company. I e-mailed them a list of my household goods and they responded with an estimate of 5180 pounds for which I would be charged 43 cents per pound. The dollar estimate was $2230 with "no add-ons and no extra charges."

The driver of the truck was supposed to weigh the truck with and without my belongings to determine the exact weight. I paid a $50 deposit by American Express and booked August 11. when the truck FINALLY showed up at midday on August 12, it was an entirely different moving company than the one I had booked; instead of AAAVanlines it was Eilid Moving and Storage of Richmond Hill, New York.

The driver had no ticket to verify his empty weight and proceeded to try and convince me that my move would be cheaper if computed by cubic foot instead of pound. He had a fax from AAAVanlines showing the estimate at 43 cents per pound. He assured me that weight could be verified and that I would get the least expensive rate. When all of my belongings were loaded the driver wrote up a bill for $4700, more than twice the original estimate. With no other choice (I had to get out of my apartment and all of my things were on the truck) I asked him to verify weight, provide proof and to charge me that way. He agreed to do that and I paid him $1100 with the balance to be determined and paid at the destination.

When I reached Virginia, the company called and demanded $3500 additional IN CASH for the delivery of my goods; they refused to provide verification of weight. I fought with them for a week in which they made numerous threats to place my things in a warehouse and leave them there for weeks. by Thursday, august 16, they agreed to provide weight tickets and I gave them the go-ahead to deliver.

On Saturday the 18th, the driver called when he was within an hour of my house and admitted that he had no weight verification. I asked for a destination weighing at a state-certified weigh station that is within 20 minutes of my house. after checking with his New York office the driver refused to weigh and the office manager (Mike) called to notify me that if I did not pay $3500 in cash he would bring the truck back to new york and put my things in storage.

I had no choice. To get the money I had to get an advance from a credit card at a very high rate of interest. The company I originally hired AAAVanlines takes no responsibility. I would like to prevent this from happening to anyone else.