Air 1 Moving And Storage, Air 1 damage disorganized inarticulate confused demanding incompetent unprofessional novice North Hollywood, California

Are you kidding?  BKK, there is none.  The laws may be there but the enforcement hardly exists.  Do you know the number of people assigned to oversee interstate moves in the Federal Government?  It is now less than 3 people.  That leaves the poor honest customer (as you put it) scammed.  This scam happens to thousands of people each year, yet it was our government in the late 1970's that decided to do away with enforcement (the Interstate Commerce Commission) of the industry.  It has been the wild west ever since.  Complaining to the FMCSA or even the DOT will register the complaint...but little to nothing really happens.

The Carmack Amendment was initially created to protect railroads from additional liability in transporting articles.  The amendment was then extended to include, among others, moving companies a few decades later.  Courts have ruled the Carmack Amendment as enforceable against the consumer seeking additional monies from moving companies for damages to their goods.  The only courts I've seen anyone collect from a moving company is small claims, but only because the mover messed up and didn't bring the contract to prove his case.  In the case of the OP, the mover will only pay on $0.60 per pound.

If you signed any document it will be enforced against you, whether you knew what it was or not.  There are a number of documents you will be forwarded as a part of the move process to sign.  It isn't a fraudulently signed document if you signed it; let's be clear about that.  Insofar as it relates to fraud, there has to be intent.  There is no way you can prove fraudulent intent in a court because your signature is on the documents.  The judge would tell you that it's your responsibility to read all of the documents you sign.

There is a reason why people should research anything they aren't sure about and moving is one of those things.   Choosing the wrong mover will cost you more than you could ever imagine.

OK, true, I did initially get quotes from companies who advertise online.  When they called, I did ask them if they come to my house to view the goods.  I've moved in the past and that has happened. 

Nevertheless, what has happened to consumer protection in this country ???  Are the laws designed to protect the miscreants who violate them ??   And the poor honest paying consumer is left in the cold, with damaged personal belongings in this case.  And what is this "Carmack Amendment" ??   How can a company of any kind, moving or otherwise, falsify a document and it be legally enforceable ??  I know I signed the thing, although there was no communication at all regarding what I signed.

This is fraud in its rawest form.

The most you will ever receive on your claim is the $0.60 per pound valuation on the Bill of Lading; you agreed to it whether you like it or not.  You have no recourse and no choice but to accept that.  You can't even sue them in court for more because of a Federal law called the Carmack Amendment which limits a moving company's liability to whatever the contract states; even if they were negligent, the courts have limited the mover's liability, and your ability to collect.  The valuation of $0.60 per pound is standard for all movers; the reputable movers in the industry out there offer more - the others do not.  You did not select a reputable mover - and unfortunately you have no one to blame for that except yourself.

Your biggest mistake was to select movers online; there are several websites that advise consumers on how to avoid the pitfalls of moving - the number one step is to avoid online movers.  Almost every scam mover is online and they always lowball a quote without taking one look at what you have.  A reputable mover would come to your home, see what it is you have to move, and then give you a quote that won't increase.  It may be more than what your comfortable in paying, but since reputable movers only make 5%-7% on a move, you are getting a quote inline with the cost to perform the same move.  If you get a quote that's 50% less, you will end up paying a whole lot more in the end.

Moving is not an inexpensive venture and choosing the cheapest mover will often result in the most expensive move possible in terms of final cost, delayed delivery, broken items, broken promises, hassles, and heartaches.  You just found out what this means by choosing an online mover; focusing on this one alone won't matter because they won't be in business more than a couple of years before they change names and start clean....