UPDATE: ASAP Van Lines Responds To Complaint Alleging $400 Bilking
Using freight shipping can be a great way to move stuff for cheap, but scams abound, as this letter from the mother of longtime reader Crayonshinobi shows.
ASAP Vanlines did a whole buncha switcharoos on Crayonshinobi’s mom, the worst of which was tacking on $400 more. The agreement had been for cost based on weight, but after the shipment left, said “the scales were broken” and were now going to charge by cubic foot. When the family refused shipment at the other end, the company left a series of screaming and scathing messages.
Crayonshinobi’s mom is filing a chargeback and is even going to cancel the credit card she paid with because she’s worried about this company messing with your account even after all is (seemingly) said and done. Her tale, inside…
Crayonshinobi’s mom writes:
It started with a simple quote for a dining room set. Hutch, table, six chairs. Move from Illinois to Colorado. First quote was 100.00 lower than 2nd quote, which I did accept (thinking gas prices had gone up). In our discussion and written quote, the weight we were billed for was 1800 #s. Less than a truckload (LTL). Aaron explained that his computer could calculate the dining room set and he agreed we would definitely not meet(exceed) the 1800 pounds. I then asked if we could put the table saw on and he stated yes, it shouldn’t be a problem. I know for a fact the saw weighs in at 140 pounds.They arrived at the house on Monday, began packing the hutch and at that point we were told $140.00 for packing material. I called the office speaking with Aaron who assured me he would do something. They took 35.00 off.
Next the driver tells us that we have to pay almost 400.00 dollars more for the cubic feet we are taking up. Once again, I call Aaron and state to him that we are not paying for cubic feet, we are paying for weight. He states he will get back to me after talking to the owner. He leaves me a voice mail and said that the “scales were broken” and that it is correct to charge by the cubic feet.
I call him back and leave a voice mail stating it is not acceptable and I will not pay for cubic feet. Never heard back from him again. Tried emailing and no response.
Tuesday (the next day) the truck is in Colorado!!! I receive a phone call from my niece who states she heard from the trucker and he wants to deliver immediately. I was shocked -as they had just left the day before. They must have drove all night. I immediately call the office and get voice mail. I left a message that there is a discrepency with the billing and that until this is cleared up we will not accept delivery. I also wrote an email with the same information to Aaron.
Aaron calls me and states that I should personally speak with the owner…named Dorri. I call Dorri and a Tiffany answers the phone and states that “he is not available and could she help me”. I then explain to her that the agreed upon amount of $1200.00 has turned into 1600.00 and I asked why. She states that we are paying for 2100#’s. My reply was “WHAT COULD WEIGH A TON?”" “YOU ARE TELLING ME A DINING ROOM SET WEIGHS A TON??” She immediately goes into a rampage about how they did nothing wrong and that is exactly what it weighs.
I related to her the exact words from her salesperson Aaron and how it was determined that we would not be even close to their minimum. She didn’t care and that is that. She then states that my daughter (she is referring to my niece) has accepted shipment.I told Tiffany, no she didn’t and no she won’t. That really angered her and she started yelling at me and I hung up. I called my niece and warned her NOT to accept shipment. She had 2 phone calls from this Tiffany and she left a SCREAMING message at one point for my niece to call her immediately. My niece did not call her and at 5pm Tiffany called her again and yelled at her that she MUST take shipment and pay the money. My niece declined and stated that she must take this up with me since I am the person who contracted and there is a dispute. Tiffany hung up on my niece.
I refuse to pay the additional charges and frankly, they can have the dining room set. I have called my credit card company and put a dispute on the card as well. I will also cancel the credit card after reading the horror stories about this company.
The dining room set was really not worth the 1200.00 to move and certainly not 1600.00 they are charging. We did for sentimental reasons and honestly this is now an issue of ethics and I fully intend not to give in. They can have the set and the table saw (it wasn’t a good one anyway).
Should be interesting to see what their next move will be.
This is why it’s so important to check out a moving company’s rep before you do business with them. Things To Know Before You Freight Ship is a good place to start, as is Movingscam.com’s How to Find a Reputable Moving Company. — BEN POPKEN
(Photo: Getty)
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@crayonshinobi:
I stand by my post regarding ignorant hillbillies in bowling green. You have no idea what I dealt with while I was in college. It was almost as bad as that brendan frasier movie School Ties.
Maybe I’m the pot calling the kettle black, but that doesn’t change the racist comments at hand.
“Big Red Flag!” Not only has Tiff publicly posted someone else’s personal articles, but actually went into detail about them. This is a no-no for a moving company since they made a legal contract with a the person to move their personal belongings. Her contract was violated by Tiff actually giving the ladies info to another person. Which someone can “Sue” her in small claims court or even lead to suspencion from her job if her supervisor views this and subscribes to the feed so see that actual info that everyone has just read! My suggestion is to give the lady her money back and a good lawyer to let you keep your business license. ASAP Vanlines is one company I will not move with, I rather get ripped by companies in Flordia.
I was actually looking up your companies information on the Internet and couldn’t find ANY reviews on your company except for this complaint. You have peoples quotes on your site, are they even real?
I have 2 other moving companies calling me giving me quotes and they acyually walked me through steps to get me a good price and they did.
I even heard of this site http://www.safersys.org and entered your company’s dot# 1313509
Do you guys even work cause I saw NO recoreded miles on the page?
Even on the Better Business Bereau your boss’s name is Dory. http://www.chicago.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=88004922
I recently decided to move to a new apartment rather than stay in my current apartment or buy a house. It’s a bit of an upgrade for me, and it’s been a long time coming.
Lucas writes:
“My story is similar to the storys of other people that belived in a good quality service of asap van lines from chicago.
I feel like they still my money becose they lied to me from the very beginig.
I did the qoute on line and recived a lot of phone calls from many companies
My choice went to asap van line becose they where so nice over the phone and they gave me a good price.
First person from asap van lines i talk to was Max Nester the salesman.
He told me that asap has certificate of bbb better busines bureau and they are well known company with trust.
He gave me a good price of 1180 $ for moving studio size storage from river grove illinois to sunnyvale california.
He promised that they will deliver my belongings on 26 of june.
I paid the first rate of 236 and received contract with this first payment.
After this i checked them out and fined out a lot of people have a problem with their service.
They stopped answering my calls for several days.They contact me again to confirm a pick up date and time.
My finance was in chicago and she went to supervising the pick up.
She did not speek eanglish well so they let her wait abaut 5 hours in the meanwhile i spoke with them over the phone and they lied to me about pick up time .
Originally the time was at 9 am in the morning then they said they will be there before 12pm and finally they showed up at 3pm.
They took advantage on me with additional charges of 550$ for packing the furniture.My finance she did not understand well and she agree with it.
I must say Max Nester told me that in the price of 1180 $ he includes securing of my stuff. They rip me off ….550 $ i still can not believe.
Also they have been told that i am the owner and they have to contact me and only me regarding any decision or charges.
I called the police in River Grove and made a report on them, because i knew it is a scam.I contact the lawyer and we are preparing case against asap van lines.
The police in River Grove told me be careful and do pay the money until you receive the furniture.
Again after a week a received a phonecall from asap that the truck is going to california and i have to next payment in amount of 550$ i really need my belongings so i decid topay the amaunt.So after a 2 weeks of no signs of life from asap i called them and fined out that i have to call another company and ask what is going on with my furniture.
I called guy named joe at 1702 358 5352 and he told me they will deliver the furniture on the weekend 7 12 2008 or 7 13 2008.
Today when im writing this e mail is 7/12/2008 and the truck driver from a different company called me and said that he will be there on sunday morning about 9 am and then i have to pay 948 $ in order to received my furniture. Next additional charges of 200$ and some dollars.
Again i try to contact asap in the morning but they did not pick up the phone i left a message.
the driver called me and said that he spoke with asap and this is the balance of 948$.
Also asap knew that i am the owner and i could pay only over the phone using my mastercard. But the driver said they accept only money order scured checks or cash.
Because of asap van lines lies and scamming i am forced to pay 1734$ instead of 1180$ in the contract.
I have a 6 months old baby.They should deliver the furniture on 26 of june , My finance with baby arrived on 27 th june and my baby had to sleep on the carpet until they deliver the furniture.I am still waiting for my furniture and i have to pay the 1734$.I just talk to the driver and told him that i call the police in sunnyvale to be present on delivery.And i said that i will pay everything but i need evidence and report from them to claim my money after, he was not happy with that so i think maybe they do not deliver my stuff tomorrow.”