This company uses a scam to extort more money out of their move victims. First, they come in with a low-fixed bid, and take a desposit.
Second, on the day your possessions are to be delivered, they demand CASH payment of remaining balance due BEFORE they will take anything off the truck. They threaten that they will not take anything off the truck until you pay them, and pay them in cash. They do not accept ATM cards or credit cards for payments. It has to be CASH, so their is no trace, and your payment can be disputed. No receipt for cash is provided to move victim.
After you pay them the remaining balance due, they drop off a couple of items, and then when you are not looking they close the truck and drive off to an undisclosed location, leaving you with no word as to where they went or why. All phone numbers at the company headquarters are either off the hook all day or disconnected (throw-away cell phones).
IF you have the presence of mind to immediately call the police and file a Grand Theft report, in CA, it helps some. But hours later you find out that your report doesn't even get delivered to the "detective's" department for "investigation" until 24 hours later. Thus nothing is done on your case on day one, except a few phone calls to the company headquarters where the phones are off the hook all day.
Then IF you have the presence of mind to jump in the car and drive down to the location of the Movers Expess, Inc., as listed on the Move Contract, supposedly in Laguna Hills, CA, you find that no Moving company is based there, and never has been based there. A CPA firm is located at this address, and has been for years. You realize your worst fears, your goods have been stolen and/or are held at an undisclosed location.
Finally, you receive a phone call from the police department who was able to get through on one of their many phone lines. Movers Express, Inc. Makes up one MASSIVE FABRICATION (LIE) after another, including: I refused delivery of my own possessions AND I threatened the movers physically and these 3 big burly movers were afraid of a single woman. Police "accept" these illogical WHOPPERS and reclassify the report from Grand Theft to a Civil Dispute, and close their case.
The police were able to extract out of the Mover's Express, Inc. The TRUE location of their warehouse, and my possessions, in Cerritos, CA not Laguna Hills, CA. I am told by police that Mover's Express, Inc. Will be HAPPY to deliver my possessions the next day, FOR MORE MONEY! OR, I can hire other movers and go get my goods off their truck in Cerritos and finish my move.
Imagine if: 1) I hadn't driven 4 hours out of my way to the stated address in Laguna Hills, I wouldn't have found out that their address on the contract is phony. 2) I hadn't filed a police report. If I hadn't filed a police report I would have had no idea where my possessions were. That is the sole purpose of having a phony address on the Move Contract. If you don't know where your possessions are, you can't even hire other movers to obtain your goods.in the past, no doubt people have just paid the extra money, and taken it in the shorts. This is extortion.
Then when I arrive the next day with a crew from Mayflower Movers, Crooked Mover's Express, Inc. Refuses to release my possessions unless I sign an illegible hand-written scribbled note releasing Mover's Express of all liabilities. If I signed my name adding the words "under duress" (which is the truth), they refuse to release my possessions.
None of my fragile equipment and furniture were professionally wrapped/boxed as promised during the on-site Estimation process.instead they were literally thrown into the truck unprotected. Naturally, just about everything is broken and/or seriously marred, not to mention the items that have completely dissappeared.
THIS IS STANDARD ROUTINE. Come in with a low bid to land the contract, then hold victim's goods ransom in an undisclosed location until the victim coughs up more money. Lie on the police report to make it appear that there is a civil dispute, to get criminal case closed against them.
I am not the first person they have done this too.
I am suing them for the cost of the second movers, all the nights I was forced to stay in hotels until I could get my possessions back, and the cost of all my damaged and lost furniture/equipment.
Lastly, but not least: I found this company on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) on-line. They HAVE a AA rating, even to this day! I've come to find out that the BBB, since it is not paid for by consumers is a fraud and a hoax. Best ratings go to who ever pays the most. Even after my complaint, filed a month ago, they are still listed with an "AA" rating, with no mention of my complaint.
Http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository. Aspx? CompanyID=13131853
I would NOT use the BBB at all! Completely mis-leading!
Deborah
Redondo Beach, California
U.S.A.
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