SCAM!! ALERT!!Colluded w broker & insurance agent! Analysis & Advices to shipper
Grace
Submitted this review about
Berthoud Fair Deal Auto's
Review made Live: 3/9/2010 3:06:00 PM
According to FMCSA Enforcement office (Tel No.202-382-2355), as long as the pick up was not from a car dealership or to a car dealership, even though it was a car got shipped, it still belongs to House Hold Goods. Remember to mark "HHG" when you complaint at www.protectyourmove.gov. BERTHOUD did not offer me any documents except the Bill of lading with NO Number, NO
Insurance company's information, No showing whose copy it is/how many copies
totally, which are required by laws/regulations at protectyourmove.gov. It's a set up for the whole scam later and it can still occur everyday now if they are using the same illegal BOL. More traps are later... The sole carrier, BERTHOUD shipped my Honda Accord 2001 V6 EX from TX to WA. The driver did not call me 1 day ahead of arrival as he promised me and my witness right before the shipment (The 1st step for them to not to let shippers get prepared). When I received my car on Oct 1st , 2009, I immediately noticed 3 new damages which were not there before. I was also instructed by driver to mark these 3 damages on the chart and initialized beside them (I only realized later why he did not do it asked me to do it). and I noted them down on BOL in the presence of him. I
took photos of car in front of the driver and my witness, as I did in TX prior to the shipment. Before I paid the driver, I asked him to call his boss, Robert Gabielson. He told me it's no problem and just go estimate the damages and fax to him, they will claim from their insurance company later. (But the broker, Patricia East at Atlas Auto Shipping, delayed for over a week to give me the insurance information. In the end, misled me intentionally by writing me the insurance company is Timberline Insurance Agency. The scam was followed up by the insurance agent, Diane E. Martin later, finding all the possible excuses to decline my claim, as if she is an adjuster and even supported the carrier to falsify against me later; never gave me any insurance company's information (it's only "Underwriters at Lloyd of London" on the insurance certificate she issued to the broker regarding Berthoud. No name or phone No. Later she even had the audacity to respond to my complaint at Dept of Insurance at Wyoming that she made my car claim for me, which I have all the evidence that I did myself).
After I drove my car back to Canada on the same day, I called the broker and told to get at least 2 estimates. 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 above
the right front to compensate much less. He only offered US$280 for the bumper scratches and ‘Maybe the 80 dollars for the gap’, then immediately challenged me: “Or sue me in court”. The
broker 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 why specific parts and jobs are on the estimates. I never knew I needed to know everything on the estimates. While I was trying to prove myself, Robert called to accuse me of ‘fraud’ furiously, for adding more items to the BOL after signing at WA,. It took me long time to realize why I have an extra copy of BOL - the driver left his own copy with me after signing in WA on purpose, so that they could say I added something later. It was pure preparation for their falsifying later. Berthoud has never compensated me anything. The Scam- use the illegal BOL with no # (very easy to duplicate a false one by tracing the signature), no
insurance company’s info, no whose copy it is (leave the shipper with the carrier’s copy intentionally), ask shippers to note the damage at delivery and turn the table on the victim saying they added more after signing at the delivery. Worse, the broker and the insurance agent are colluded with the carrier, their client to protect their own profit. And they are all in different states - stereotype of scam to make it difficult for us to complain. Anybody out there who has similar experience /frustration to deal with any of these 3 businesses and need help, please feel free to write complaints to Federal Trade commission at www.ftc.gov(they have to see a partern and every complaint will help), BBB, State Attorney General, ripoffreport.com and the federal 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 need more detailed information or some other help, please write to me at 'from0104' at yah00 dot com. I will be willing to assist you or be your testimony if you are going to sue this business like I have to.
