American Van Lines review: over charge $1147, 2182p they charged 4136p 30

Yes, I too JUST experienced a scam by AVL and I am awaiting a call from them to sort itout. I was provided "friendly" service until after I paid a deposit and then my goods, unbeknowst to me, was turned loose to another scam company called Trans United and AVL became indifferent and unhelpful and left me to the threats of Trans United who refused to unload my goods until I paid for a weight that clearly was "marked up" and refused to accept my credit card (which AVL had assured me would work and especially given that was the credit card I used to pay my desposit) and then extracted an additional charge for my forced usage of a debit card and bottom line, it's been a nightmare dealing with both AVL and Trans United and I am awaiting some resolution of this financial and stressful nightmare. Will keep this board posted!

o my god, i colpletely agrre, total disaster, stay away from american van line

american van ines has the worst custumer service ever i called and asked for a quate and he told me it would be for 1500 and i told him i got a cheaper quate his response was i hope u dont get scred and whatever there bunch of idiots

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT USE AMERICAN VAN LINES ...I chose American Van Lines to move my belongings from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl to Houston, Tx. Everything was picked up on August 4, 2010 to be delivered by Aug 9, 2010. Some of my belongings were delivered on Aug 16th, with most of that delivery damaged...tables broken, lamp shades crushed, boxes marked fragile were had furniture stacked on top of them in the truck when it was delivered to me. When I tried to take pictures of the way the truck was packed, the driver actually pushed me away to keep me from taking the pictures. The second shipment of goods arrived in good condition. When I inquired about the claim process, I was given several different versions of how to do that, none of which appears to be anything they actually use. The goods damaged were family heirlooms, very expensive furniture, etc. To this date, there are items of furniture that have never been delivered. I filed my claim, giving all the documentation that they required. The estimate to repair my furniture was $12, 500.00. I received an agreement to settle the claim for less than $600 from American Van Lines. Obviously, I am going to take them to court.

Thank you for sharing your nightmare in hell because of AVL.
Consumers are grateful to you!
You are welcome to tell the same on other AVL customer complaint sites.
Yes, please continue to tell everyone you know and don't know.

WORST MOVING EXPERIENCE - DO NOT USE. I scheduled a move from California to Michigan. My sales/moving coordinator is Bobby Diaz. When I first called he quoted a price $300 lower than the actual contract that was sent. He then becomes conveniently unavailable once the moving disaster begins. My furniture was picked-up in CA on Saturday November 12th (which was a coordination nightmare). The dispatchers were rude and the movers showed up 9 hours late. Although irritating, I was still keeping positive about them. It's now Saturday December 3rd and I've yet to recieve my furniture. It was supposed to be delivered no later then Saturday November 26th. I've called everyday, when someone does answer they're horribly rude and not helpful. They tell me they don't know when my furntiture is going to arrive, because the driver doesn't have a phone so they can't get in contact with him! Then they tell me he'll be here on Friday December 2nd, so I take the day off from work and he doesn't show. I call the customer service department and they are unapologetic and don't know anything. They tell me "maybe he fell asleep". However, they do know that the driver "forgot" to weigh my furniture when it was picked up in CA, so if he should ever drop it off, I'll be charged the full estimate (even though they promised they'd call me 48 hours in advance of the delivery date with the actual weight and remaining amount due). It's now Saturday December 3rd and I still haven't seen my furniture. I called again this morning and they still haven't spoken with the driver, they have no idea where he's at and told me just to keep waiting at my new place for as long as it takes! UNBELIEVABLE! They will be hearing from a lawyer.

You have the right by law to request a reweigh at destination. I suggest you do it. This way you will know that you will not be overcharged. After unloading you should go see the light weight and verify it by viewing both. You should be there when they weigh the items. Your first mistake was paying a deposit. This is the first sign of a scam. You should go to http://www.protectyourmove.gov and read up on your rights and responsibilities. You can also file a complaint with the FMCSA here. Was it an American Van Line truck or did they subcontract it out., Did they tell you they were also a broker. If you need further assistance I suggest you go to movingscam.dotcom and ask some of the volunteers there I

Lawyer? If you want to travel to the city/county/state where the SCAM AVL branch operation is located for a civil lawsuit (as stated on the contract)...and hire/pay a lawyer in that area...and pay for your travel & hotel expenses...and will accept being awarded much less than your items are worth (that is, IF you win)...well...?
AVL scoffs at lawyers. But AVL FEARS CLASS-ACTION LAWSUITS!

NOTE: report AVL to the BBB, & be ready for more lies from AVL.
Be determined, stick to your facts, and AVL will get another strike.
That's it!

We feel our customers deserve the best possible services and we like to ensure all our customers are satisfied with the services provided. Our office has reviewed your online posting and will definitely seek to address your concerns. We would definitely would like to provide clarity in reference to the agreement made between you our valued customer and American Van Lines.

As it relates to the total cost of the move, we always encourage our customers to relay all items to be transported in detail and the logistics of the area to be serviced to our representatives in order to provide the most accurate estimate of service charges. Providing that this is relayed, a binding not to exceed estimate is supplied based on these items as well as the services to be performed. However, if additional services are provided at the time of pick up or delivery that were not apart of the original contract or if the actual weight is more than estimated, the customer is responsible for these additional charges. This is explained in the terms of agreement provided to for review at the time of booking. Once the driver arrives to load your house hold goods if he states based upon visuals that your shipment will be more than initially estimated, he can provide you with a revised written estimate of the increase in weight he foresees. You will still be charged based on the actual weight of the shipment once it is weighed. According to your account, you paid less than initially estimated due to less weight. Included in the paperwork to be signed at the time of pick up is the bill of Lading which reflects insurance options for the household goods to be selected for transport. Our company offers full replacement valuation insurance and standard limited liability valued at $0.60/lb per article in case of any damaged or missing property. No additional cost is required when selecting insurance options. The paperwork received at the time also explains full replacement insurance is available upon request which has to be applied 72 hours prior to the execution of the move.

While moving is stressful, sometime issues may arise to prevent a successful move. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances we were unable to perform as anticipated Our customers are encouraged to file a claim upon completion of their move in the event of any arising issues occurring during their relocation process. Our records indicate that necessary documentation to initiate your claims process for the damages incurred has been sent, however, there is not indication that a completed claim form has been submitted. You have up t o 9 months after your move has been completed to submit your claim and we urge you to do so as soon as possible in order to address your concerns.

Our team at American Van Lines would like to extend our most sincere apologies for any frustrations that this may have caused. Your business is greatly appreciated and we will remain hopeful that American Van Lines will be among your considerations if relocation ever presents itself in your future endeavors. We appreciate your feedback as we are currently making efforts to improve our company in entirety. You are more than welcome to contact us with any issues or concerns you may have at [protected]. Our Team is at your disposal.

Thank you

Sincerely,

Customer Relationship Manager
American Van Lines

This one is a no brainer. We spent over 90 minutes on the phone with the slick salesman/"estimator" for American Van Lines and he explained that we were going to get GREAT SAVINGS based on sharing the move with another customer on a big 55 foot trailer. He continuously assured us that he was OVERESTIMATING the weight and the cost of the move and that it was going to DEFINITELY BE LESS. He then said that he would base his estimate on them packing everything and that everything that we packed on our own would create ADDITIONAL SAVINGS.
The actual cost of the move came out 43% higher than the estimate. Everything he told us was a lie. When we called him he told us to hold on a minute and switched us over to customer service. He wouldn't ever talk to us again.
When we complained, we were told that it was JUST AN ESTIMATE. When I asked them to review the calls they had recorded between us an the slimey salesman, they said that after reviewing them, they felt there had not been any misrepresentation.
I have never felt more financially taken advantage of in my life. How can any company get away with this?

Contact FMSCA to report AVL.
Unfortunately you won't get any money back, but FMSCA (the govt.) will fine AVL for every offense...therefore subtracting the money AVL made on you, plus more.
"How can any company get away with this?" The answer is in the sentence above.

Very lousy business, lied, once they get your money, that's it, no truck will come on your house, no pick up truck or 18 wheeler will come, very, very lousy service. what a regret to call this American Van Lines.Close your business AVL.

I agree completely. I actually just moved, they arrived at the new house on June 27. The service was awful and all my furniture was destroyed. When they pick up my belongings everything filled their truck completely, when they came for delivery, I went to see the truck after they unload everything and they had a whole other order filling the truck. Everything stuck to the back, horrible. Of course I'm in the claim process, we will see. But I already know I'm gonna have to contact a lawer. And yes, I'm still waiting for some of my furniture to be delivered, of course I know is not gonna ever arrive!

Had American Van Lines make our long distance move from Ohio to California...BIG MISTAKE! Please do not use this company if you value your property. We paid 1500.00 exta money to have our items arrive to our condo in CA on July 1, 2012. They arrived on July 9th...thank goodness for family that let us stay with them or we would have racked up some hefty hotel bills. When it did arrive the movers did not put items in boxes in the room designated on the box. They put everything in the garage and we had to move it (we are senior citizens so this was no easy task as we had no help) . Many of our items were broken, dishes, lamps, shelving, tv stand, an expensive area rug was folded instead of roll and is now ruined. All in all a very disappointing move. We sold so many items so we would not have to pay so much to move and it still cost a fortune. We were extremly displeased with this company and hope you will look else where if you need a long distance mover.

YOU ARE ABSOLUTLY RIGHT ALL THESE OLD TIME MOVING COMPANY'S ARE FLY BY NIGHT HIDDEN CHARGES AND TIME LIMITS I JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW TREADMILL $1200.00 THEY DISTROYED IT BEYOUND REPAIR THEY ONLY REIBURSE YOU $500.00

Search the net and file a complaint with FMCSA www.protectyourmove.gov

You will not receive any monies, but AMERICAN VAN LINES will be FINED for any VIOLATIONS, which may very well be over and above the amount you paid to theim.
File a complaint with the BBB in AZ. Be prepared for more fabrications. Be diligent and be firm!
Keep spreading the word!

Dear Customer,
Our team regrets to hear of your displeasure with your moving experience. We believe our customers deserve optimal service at all times that is why we strive to ensure that all moves are successful, however, at times we fall short of this goal. We notice that contact has been established between you and our office in reference to your disputes and we definitely appreciate the opportunity to work in rectifying of your issues.

American Van Lines Relocation wishes to extend our apologies for the inconveniences and frustration caused. We will continue to make genuine attempts in rectifying your situation as we are always working diligently to ensure that all of our customers are satisfied with our services.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
American Van Lines Relocation Division.

American Van Lines Relocation Division regrets to hear of your dissatisfaction with our moving services. With the information you have provided us with, we are unable to locate your move with us. We are aware that you would like to remain anonymous, however, if you are indeed a customer we would like to speak with you to address your issues. Call us at [protected].
You may contact us at our office to discuss your concerns as soon as possible as we always like to ensure that our customers are satisfied with our services. Please call and provide your name and job ID # so we can better assist you with with your issues.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
American Van Lines Relocation Division.

This was one of the worse experiences I have ever had with a business. First after signing the initial contract they were impossible to reach. Then two weeks before the move they left a message for me to contact them ASAP. I called that day several times and the next day several times leaving at least one message a day, but couldn't get contacted until a weekend 4 days later. American van lines then contracted me out to Allstate relocation (if you ask them they didn't contract it out, the two companies are associated...). Allstate had no contract with me so they had no incentive to show up on time. After being delayed two hours at a time 6 am all the way as late as 10pm for 2 ½ days they showed up. On that last day I got hit with several penalties by my landlord for staying past my scheduled move out. Had Allstate or American van lines given me a more than 2 hours notice of delays I could have worked with my landlord, but I had no idea when they would show up. The scheduling manager, Alex, was incredibly rude to me on the phone every time I called. When Allstate did show up they came with their own contract that I had to sign before they would load. The contract was based upon space allotment instead of weight; however, I couldn’t contact American van lines since they showed up after business hours. When they were ready to leave at 10:00pm they slapped me with another contract for a third company to deliver my furniture. American Van lines verbally told me during my initial negotiations that my stuff would never be transferred from the truck it was loaded into and the same truck would deliver my items. At 10:00 at night who do you call? When I reached my new home the delivery was a nightmare. The people were incredibly rude. Their goal was to unload my items in 20 minutes. They unloaded my furniture to the sidewalk and tried to smartly sell me the furniture wraps for $10 a piece so they could leave them on the sidewalk. They outright told me they didn’t want to assemble the furniture even though that was part of my contract. They also stacked as many boxes as they could on their dollies and started running. The individual tripped and all the boxes went flying. When we told him he needed to calm down he got furious with me. The same individual got agitated when I wanted to inventory my items prior to signing the delivery sheet. Two out of the three individuals who delivered my furniture and boxes talked about the entire time they were in my presence.

Search the net for FMCSA and file a complaint. www.protectyourmove.gov

Unfortunately you will not receive any monies, but AMERICAN VAN LINES will be fined for any violations, which may very well be over and above what you paid to them.
File a complaint with the BBB in AZ. Be prepared for more fabrications. Be diligent and be firm!
Keep spreading the word!

American Van Lines Relocation Division regrets to hear of your dissatisfaction with our moving services. With the information you have provided us with, we are unable to locate your move with us. We are aware that you would like to remain anonymous, however, if you are indeed a customer we would like to speak with you to address your issues. Call us at [protected].You may contact us at our office to discuss your concerns as soon as possible as we always like to ensure that our customers are satisfied with our services. Please call and provide your name and job ID # so we can better assist you with with your issues.

Thank you.

American Van Lines Relocation Division.

HORRIBLE! This company is a bunch of theives! And the people moving your stuff are picked up at local labor yards! They looked like they were homeless! Quote one thing, then on day of move tell you that it will be more money. Then add additional charges while your furniture is in transit and hold your stuff hostge until you pay it. Arrogant, ignorant staff! Nice as can be when they give you a quote, then horrible after that. Furniture arrived damage, boxes marked as fragile were CRUSHED and all items inside broken. And delivered 2 weeks after promised delivery date. Save yourseld a lot of headaches and pay more to book with a reputable company! AVOID THIS COMPANY!

As an experienced victim of AVL, I KNOW all of these negative comments are true because that is exactly how AVL operates.

As a potential customer, I would find it peculiar that such a so-called professional company has so many of the same issues, the same complaints, and nothing is ever rectified. Yet, there are so many meaninngless apologies from this so-called efficient company.

People, PLEASE DON'T USE THIS SCAM COMPANY...unless you want to look back in deep REGRET and say:
"I wish I had taken the WARNING from all of those negative comments."

Since AVL operates under several names, the best thing to do is move yourself as so many have regretfully said.

Never use this company! Initially, they are very professional on the phone while trying to earn your business. However, once you leave a deposit of $200 you're told that the only payment they accept at pick up and delivery is cash or postal money order. If you cancel your order they charge you another $350 for doing so.
The people who came to pick up our furniture were great! All furniture wrapped carefully, etc. We packed our own boxes. At that point we find out that this truck won't drive our things from Florida to North Carolina, but will drop off our things in Jacksonville, FL, at which point our things will be transferred to an 18-wheel truck for the rest of the journey, which took 8 days. When our things arrived, many of the boxes were bent and crushed. The furniture sustained no damage. The movers were supposed to take back with them all the packing they used for our furniture, however, as we discovered later, they left some cardboard and bubble wrap behind which we have to take to the dump and pay for.
I place the blame on the personnel who work in the office for not being up front while trying to solicit our business. The movers themselves do the best they can, but it appears that there is a lack of training on how to handle the shipment in a more careful manner.

Don't stop here...keep spreading the word!

Worst movers, yes. Worst customer service, yes. But it starts with the sales reps telling you anything positive and agreeable that you want to hear to rope you in. Once you are roped in, the price escalates (contrary to what you were told) and get ready to begin going through the worst living nightmare of your life and becoming another member of the American Van Lines "Complaint Club."

Dear Sir or Madam,

American Van Lines sincerely apologizes for the problems that occurred during your move with us. Our team thanks you for your review and we would like to know how we can repair your experience with us.

We understand how frustrating your move was, particularly because of the issue with your condominium's time restrictions. If there is anything we can do to rectify your inconveniences, please call us at [protected] and we will further assist you.

American Van Lines would greatly appreciate it if you could contact us and provide us with very basic information so we can investigate your move. We currently do not have enough information to find you in our system. Thank you.

Sincerely,
AVL Customer Relationship Manager

Do NOT use this company. The worst movers, the worst customer service ever. The Ft. Lauderdale, FL office is filled with nasty, rude agents who do not care about your schedule and raise their prices two and three times. Be warned. They lie, they cheat you, they hold your furniture hostage and deliver it when they feel like it. The movers were eight hours late picking up my furniture. They had the wrong address even though I emailed them my address weeks in advance. They took four hours to load my furniture, denied their manager ever said he would wrap my glass objects, and held me up from getting to my new place. They told me they would deliver my stuff on Friday. Then they said no, Sunday. I told them my association does not allow Sunday deliveries. Their response? "Too bad, that's when it's coming." Indira threatened to tell the drivers to leave my furniture in my front yard. I was overcharged by $1, 600 by these rip-off artists.

I hired american van lines to move me from Miami, Fl to Phoenix, Arizona. I was quoted about 1700.00 and some change and was told (and it sounded like) they provided the best, fastest service around, plus the price was the most affordable I had been quoted. I quoted with other moving companies as well as PODS and renting a truck and moving myself. WHAT A NIGHTMARE. They arrived at my apartment and quickly wanted me to sign up for insurance (another couple of hundred) because them moving your belongings doesn't mean they will be careful and take care of your precious items, THEY DON'T GIVE A CRAP. Not only did they not tell me about that "additional" insurance, they almost took a month to deliver my items (they picked them up on the 10th of Sept and I received my belongings early last week). When my items were delivered, a lamp I had, which I bought at ARANGO in Miami, Fl and it cost me 250.00 was broken, an hour glass piece that I owned that was over 13 years old was broken.. the boxes were all mangled and they handled them very roughly. AWFUL company, AWFUL service. NEVER AGAIN. I will make sure EVERYONE I know knows about the horror's of hiring american van lines.

Criminal Enterprise!
My stuff was already packed, shipped, and held in storage by another company with integrity that was unable to ship it on my behalf because they don't do national moves while I went to school. All AVL had to do was move it and unload it! They hired a 3rd party without informing me! They inflated the weight of my shipment by almost double and ransomed my property until I paid up! I have the weight ticket of my property before it went into storage! I have proof and they will pay for attempting to scam a disabled veteran!

Report them to the Better Business Bureau of your state! Report them to the American Movers and Shippers Association! Report them to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration! Report them to your Chamber of Commerce! Report them to your District Attorney's Office! I have already done this. I am working filing a small claims suit and if that doesn't work I'll be hiring an attorney!