Eacho Trans World Holding shipment and information hostage (bill of lading, contact info.) until non-contractual and bogus charges are paid: extortion ripoff New York New York

Echo Trans World is a company that deals with movers who are paid in cash and unexperienced who hide damaged items and have to be coercerd to give a copy of the itemized moving list.

I asked Echo Trans World to make me one crate to hold two expensive paintings. They quoted me in writing that it sould cost $120, on the invoice I received 14 days after my container was packed and picked up, they charged me $600 dollars for two "professional" wooden crates which were not even professional, the tops didn't fit and the paintings were not well protected (contact me for photos if you wish). When they asked for written proof about the quote I gave it to them and they still demand $600 anyways.

I have paid them in full according to my "order for service contract" from Florida to France ("full door to door service including packing and unloading a 20 foot container") $6,845 plus $120 plus about $40 more for some extra insurance but they say I owe them more: $480 for the "remaining balance on the crates" and $550 for a "roll over charge".

On my contract there were exclusions, but a "roll over" was not an exclusion. A demurrage was, but a roll over and demurrage are not one in the same. Leah Davis, Operations Manager, says they are. It is not true. I talked to several moving companies and looked in several dictrionaries and when I told Ms. Leah Davis that they are different words meaning different things she told me to get the dictionary to pay the $550.

I asked for a bill to prove that there was in fact a roll over charge on my container, but alas, they will not provide it, so I doubt there even was a roll over. And why should I pay it if it is not on the contract? Plus other companies have told me a roll over only costs $150, not $550. A huge profit from Echo Trans World.

They say that until I pay these charges, they will not provide me with the bill of lading (copy or number), they will not tell me where it will arrive or who to send my export/import documentation to, nor will they tell me who the movers will be when they bring the container to my door in France. They say they will hold the container and charge me for the holding fees until I pay their invoice.

I paid what I owed according to the order for service contract but they will keep my things hostage until I pay. If anyone is interested in a class action lawsuit, I am more than willing to partake.

I have not received my container yet and I fear that I will have even more extortion coming my way.

My shipment is arriving in France 5 weeks late, on the very same day of my wedding (August 11th 2007) in Belgium, with the wedding cake topper and photos for the reception inside. They say customs will take a few days, but that does ruin my honeymoon.

I have seen through movingscam.com that there are so many complaints about them. The President of the company wrote a letter defending his company and requested that people contact him directly in the future. I did that first and my registered return receipt letter send to him at the address he mentioned, came back to me, unsigned for and unopened.

Many people have lost more on moving companies than me, but forking over a thousand extra dollars for out of contract charges seems just plain illegal to me. And with the wedding approaching, I can't afford the extra expense.

Jennifer
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.