According to FMCSA Enforcement office (Tel No. 202-382-2355), as long as the pick up was not from a car dealership, eventhough it was a car got shipped, it still belongs to House Hold Goods. Berthouddid not offer me any documents except the Bill of lading with NO Number, NOInsurance company's information, No showing whose copy it is/how many copiestotally. It's a set up for the whole scam later and it can still occur everydaynow if they are using the same illegal BOL. More traps are later... The solecarrier, shipped my Honda Accord 2001 V6 (VIN# 1HGCG16521A018059) from TX to WA. When I received my car on Oct 1st, I immediately noticed 3 new damageswhich were not there before. I was also instructed by driver to mark the 3damages on the chart and initialized beside them (I only realized later why heasked me to do it). And I noted them down on BOL in the presence of the truck driver: 1. NewGap found between left rear fender & bumper. 2. New Scratches found on a newrear bumper. 3. New Scratches found on the front right fender above the tire. Itook photos of car in front of the driver and my witness. Before I paid thedriver, I asked him to call his boss, Robert Gabielson. He told me there willbe no problem and just go estimate the damages and fax to him, they will claimfrom their insurance company later. (But the broker, Patricia East at Atlas Auto Shipping, delayed for over a week togive me the insurance information.in the end, misled me intentionally by writingme the insurance company is Timberline Insurance Agency. The scam was followedup by the insurance agent, Diane E. Martin later, finding all the possible excuses to decline myclaim, as if she is an adjustor and even supported the carrier to falsify against me later).
After Idrove my car back to Canadaon the same day, Oct 1st I called the broker and told to get at least 2estimates. I went to get 3 the next day and fax the 2 low ones (CAD$1038 &CAD$1163) to Berthoud. Oct 8th, over the phone, Robert denied scratches abovethe right front to compensate much less. He only offered US$280 for the bumper scratches and Maybe the 80dollars for the gap, then immediately challenged me: Or sue me in court. Thebroker also emailed me that Berthoud said I added something to the estimates, which was untrue. The broker also asked me both verbally and in writing whyspecific parts and jobs are on the estimates. I never knew I needed to knoweverything on the estimates. I thought there is a misunderstanding becausethose body shops did not specify those jobs listed are for those 3 damagesonly. So I faxed Berthoud the highest estimate which sort the jobs according tothe 3 damages, along with the BOL signed by the driver before writing theamount I paid him. Suddenly and ridiculously, Robert called to accuse me offraud furiously, for adding more items to the BOL after signing at WA, whichI never did.
In an attempt to release their unnecessary anger on this highestestimate, I went back to the body shop that offered me the lowest estimate andasked them to re-examine the estimate. They specified on their estimate thesame three damages they estimated the first time and I sent it back to thecarrier and the broker again to prove the body shop did not estimate anythingelse but those 3 damages. But they kept on ignoring me. It took me long time torealize why I have an extra copy of BOL— the driver left his own copy with me after signing in WA on purpose, so thatthey could say I added something later. It was pure preparation for their falsifyinglater. Berthoud has never compensated me anything. The Scam— use the illegal BOLwith no # (very easy to duplicate a false one by tracing the signature), noinsurance companys info, no whose copy it is (leave the shipper with thecarriers copy intentionally), ask shippers to note the damage at delivery andturn the table on the victim saying they added more after signing at thedelivery. Worse, the broker and the insurance agent are colluded together withthe carrier, their client. Anybody out there who has similar experience/frustration to deal withany of these 3 businesses and need help, please feel free to writecomplaints to Federal Trade commission at www.ftc. Gov, BBB, and thefederal level of Dept. Of Transportation at www.protectiveyourmove. Gov (rememeber to mark it as HHG-HouseHoldGoods, otherwise there is not enough personnel to get in charge of auto shipping) and State Attorney General. If you needmore detailed information or some other help, please write to me at to me. I will be more than willing to assist you or be your testimony if you are going to sue this business like I have to.
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