RELIABLE AUTO TRANSPORT / WWW.UNITED-MOVE.COM "mike"
Got a very reasonable quote from " MIKE" which is not his real name @ reliable auto transport of $425.00 to transport a vehicle i purchased from tennesse to florida. Quote stated the total cost to move the vehicle was $425.00 and " MIKE " called and requested a Deposit of $200.00 balance due upon delivery via my visa card, sound familiar!? I gave him the visa number and agreed to a "DEPOSIT " of $200.00 assuming to pay $225.00 when the car arrived in cash. When the car arrived a week later, the driver explained to me that i owed him $425.00 , and i asked what about the deposit of $200.00 on my visa card? He said he had not received any monies and needed the full $425.00 in full before he moved the car off the trailer. I reluctantly paid him the $425.00 in cash as requested and unloaded the car. I immediately called the office and got no answer, then emailed him instead , getting a reply several days later stating the deposit was a " BROKERAGE" fee and it was in a contract i signed when i paid the visa payment voucher?! I stated i planned on disputing this with visa to which he stated he would have his corporate attorney sue me and put me in the " poor house" Really, ...over $200.00 , you must have a very cheap attorney , lol.
This company markets itself as a transportation company, but is really a broker! NOTHING on the website states that this is a brokerage firm ,NEVER are you told that there will be additional fees involved ,NEVER IS THIS DISCLOSED UNTIL THE END, poor disclosure, very deceiving business practices, then ask for a deposit, balance due upon delivery. Once you pay the deposit and sign the visa receipt, only later does he explain this is his " fee " to arrange the transportation!? Almost half of the total cost of the shipping to "arrange" the transportation, come on, totally absurd and illegal and fraudulent , bait and switch at its best. Company has operated under several names over the past several years, www.sunbiz.org, reliable auto transport carriers , mayflower auto transport ,and has had many complaints over the same practices!! Company has a New York phone number, but really operates out of a Boca Raton office to throw you off their trail!
If you have fallen victim to the same scam, you have several recourses
a. call the attorney general in your state and file a complaint against them.
b. of course dispute the charge on your visa card , using these reviews as evidence against them.
c. file a complaint with fmsca www.protectyourmove.gov/documents/ online.
d. file a complaint with your local fmsca field office, or in florida #850-942-9338 and speak to Mr. Sanderson , he is very familiar with this company , and is handling the complaints as they come in!
e. Lasty call your local police department and inform them of this scam, they will gladly pursue it for you!
Visa offers %100 fraud protection, so you will eventually get your money back, just takes a little while to do so. Hopefully you see this review and wont fall victim to this scam like me and the others on this website. Good luck, and god bless !
