Advanced Moving System rip-off Sunrise Florida

This letter has been sent to the following offices:

Better Business Bureau
Florida Department of Agriculture And Consumer Services
Florida Attorney General
American Moving and Storage Association
Household Goods Forwarders Association of America
National Association of Fleet Administration

Dear Sir;
On or about May 25th 2002 I was getting estimates from movers for our move from Sterling Heights, Mi 48310 to New Orleans, La. I called North American Van Lines (and have no idea why these people picked up the call) But, Advanced Moving System picked up the call?
I told the women I talked to I was wanting to get a Quote on a move from North American Van Lines. She asks if she could give me a Quote from their Co. They are bigger than North American I said that would be OK.

I sent her a hand written list of things to move. She could not read my fax so; I typed a list and sent it to her. I typed another list and sent it to her via e-mail. I was being very careful to make sure I had everything on the list because I wanted it to be accurate.
Telling her I wanted them to do the packing. I received her Quote back being very low I thought since I had had an estimate from Allied being $7200.00 for the total move including our Ford Ranger Truck. They had a man come with a computer and do a thorough estimate.

So, I looked at her list that she had sent back to me and she had left off many things that I had originally had on my list. I corrected her list and e-mailed her and called her telling her she had left things off. She changed the Quote (now higher) and sent back another list, but still it is not correct.

She now added the things I had brought to her attention but left off other important things. Like, I put glass tabletops because I new it would require better packing and wanted to make sure my estimate was accurate.

When she sent back my list for me to confirm; the tables were there but not that they were glass. After doing this about four times she finally sent her last corrected list calling it. The Last Time.

As she kept changing her Quote I told her at one point that his or her prices were getting up around what everybody else wanted. At that time she told me that it wouldnt change that much by adding things on. What I was saying to her was that they didnt look that much cheaper than anyone else.

As soon as the Quote got to $7000.00 I would have gone with Allied Van Lines. I believe they purposely keep the estimate low in order to get the job not having any intentions of actually letting you have that price.

The final Quote was given for $6049.00. And that was including the moving of my Ford Truck.
They were cheaper and assured me I would have a worry free moving day.

They were to be there on June 16 AM. On that morning it was 10:30 and no one is there yet. I called the home office. They got in touch with the driver and said he would be there very soon. He showed up at 11:00 driving a RYDER TRUCK. At this point I was really uneasy about choosing these people to do our moving.

A young man named Joseph from Israel and a man named Greg came to my door. I called Home Office again. The driver and the man at their office named Tommy had a conversation. I was given the phone and Tommy, who is from Israel as well (the company is owned by them I understand) told me it just showed him how dedicated his driver was to rent a truck in order to get the job done.

If I had had an alternate plan I would have told them to leave like other people have told them when they showed up at their doorstep in a RYDER.

Greg told my Daughter that had happened to them before.
I told them to wait while I called my Husband to see what he wanted to do. I called Allied Van Lines as well to tell them the situation I was in and could they move me. I was told that they had heard of these people before and it was not a dependable Moving Co. They could not move us on such short notice even though they tried to get their Dispatcher to get someone.

My Husband was very reluctant in having them move us but what could we do. John my Husband was already working on his new job in New Orleans. He had arranged to fly home on that day to help move He had to be back in 2 days. What else could we do we had no other choice at that time.

Joseph took out a contract and asks me to sign it. I told him I would not sign it until it had the correct figures on it. He said he could not do anything until I signed it. I told him no and called Home Office again. I spoke to Tommy. I told him I was not comfortable signing a contract without knowing what the charges are.

He assured me it would be OK. That he would stick to his original Quote. So, I signed it trusting I was talking to an honest professional man and I could take his word on it. He said he had to get every thing on the truck to see how much square footage there was before he new what to charge. He did not weigh our things.

They started packing our things. After one load was packed and on the truck Joseph pulled out another contract. He wanted me to sign it. I didnt want to sign it until it had been filled out. He said if I didnt sign it he would not move it. I called Home Office again. Tommy said he would not move it if I didnt sign it. It was just a release to move my things into storage. I signed it.

They finally left from the 1st day at about 11:00 PM. The next morning they didnt show up until 10:00AM.
They started packing. All the while my Daughter, Husband and myself are helping them because we feared because of their tardiness we would not get moved out on time. I packed the whole kitchen; bathrooms and we packed everything in the basement.

As the day moved on they got in a hurry and did not want to pack a lot of things. Joseph told my Husband I didnt want to take some things in the basement because he didnt want to do anymore.


He put a $200.00 Flower arrangement in a small box and wrapped paper around the top. I wouldnt let it go like that. . He ran out of boxes even though I called their office the day before and asks that they make sure and bring enough boxes. Sophie told me that they always had enough with them.

Everything is now on the truck and the door closed. Joseph now starts filling in the empty spaces on the contract. He makes a final bill of $8979.00 and that now does not include our Truck it will now be $750.00 more dollars if we want it. I called Home Office again. I spoke to Tommy.

I told him how much I was charged. I said, This is almost $3000.00 dollars more than your Quote. His answer in a very smart tone, as soon as you signed the new contract it made the original quote invalid. I told him he gave me his word he would stick to his Quote. And then Joseph took the phone.

I spoke to Jonathan. This was on a Friday. He told me to call back on Monday when they had the paper work in. After they were finished and ready to leave Joseph wants a tip. I told him NO! Then Greg came in and says he worked hard and deserved a little gratitude. I told him NO!

I called on Monday and no one will take my call now. They put me on hold they dont answer. I had to call back until someone would take my call. I talked finally to Tommy. I told him again about his word on the quote.

And I told him about Gregs behavior while at our home. When He was upstairs packing My Daughter went up to watch. She is 31 years old and has a very low IQ. She is considered borderline retarded.

She said He ask her if she had ever been with a black man. Gina told him no. He asks her how old she was when she lost her virginity. He asks her the largest size p***s she had had. At this time he had an erection. She told him that was enough and left. Gina did not tell me this until they had left because she thought he would loose his job for it. Had I known this I would have called the police.

Tommys answer with a lot of attitude now very loud and a "who cares" attitude. SO SUE HIM!! WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS? !! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? SUE HIM! I said He works for you sir Then he told me to call him back the next day about the paper work he would look at it. Screaming and shouting all the while. I was so upset by this whole experience that I couldnt talk to him again. My Husband called. No one would answer the phone. He was on hold forever. When he got Tommy he did not say one word about the quote.

My husband told him to bring our things after the 2nd day of July. He didnt take an address. Just a phone number and we havent heard from them yet.

I looked on the BBB web site and see that were not the only ones to have this problem with them. Many others have as well.

To sum up; we had our right to choose based on honesty and facts taken from us by these people. They stole our business they lied to get our business by giving an inaccurate estimate. Knowing they would change it when they had our belongings in their possession. Our Truck is still in Sterling Heights Mi.

We now have to pay to have it moved down here. Had we gone with Allied we would have our belongings safe and our truck would be here for a price of $7200.00
I was told they couldnt charge more than 10% of the original Quote.

We want reimbursed for our money and for the mental anguish. I know your Offices cannot do this. We are in touch with an Attorney.

I want this Company stopped from doing this to innocent people. You will find Documents enclosed. I do not have the first check back from the bank yet. They would not accept a credit card.

I dont think they should be able to use the Internet to HOOK people into their scam and their dishonest business practices. The Movers in the state of Florida is well aware of the fact that the Attorney Generals Office has not regulated Movers until this time and theyve taken advantage of it.

I dont think they should be able to do moves out of the state either. Theyre not big enough or professional enough to do these kind of moves.


We finally received our things. Antique desk leg ripped off. Two Antique chairs split into. 13 boxes missing tools missing damage to a lot of furniture.
We had it stored with Lees Moving and Storage. (Allied Van Lines and Mayflower) We had a professional check in and everything is well documented with pictures. They had thrown our furniture and boxes on a little truck upside down and sideways things spilling out. I called Tommy about this. His answer, we moved everything we had in the storage unit.

I ask if he were there. No, he said I was here in Florida. Well, I said how do you know if it was all moved are not? No answer. We last seen our things loaded on that truck the movers admiring my husbands tools. We are now missing them.

Tommy told me to send in a claim. I said how do you know what was in the boxes to give us a fair amount. He said they go by weight of a box. So, all my childrens pictures growing up and important documents are now worth a few dollars. I dont think we will ever see any money because of complaints Ive read from other consumers.

The FMCSA just had a press release that says they were fined 98,000.00. I want to sue them. I would like others to join in with me in a class action suit against them. These people should not be licensed to move consumers. They are not professional movers and show a complete lack of concern for your belongings once they hook you into their scam.

Mona
Fort Worth, Texas
U.S.A.

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