Moving and Mover Broker Scam - beware!!!!

I started a complaint against a mover broker who scammed me out of $1600. The following is the report that I sent to the Better Business Bureau:

I reported the company, American Relocation and Storage, and the company refused to settle and I rejected their reasoning. 

The gentleman I spoke with, Steph, assured me that I was merely getting a quote and that I was not obligated to use American Relocation and Storage. I mention this because when I was asked to make a downpayment, I thought it was odd. Informed the representative that his was the very first quote I had sought and that I planned to shop around. I have not moved in 11 years and the previous move was a local move. Steph did not have a representative to send out to look at my possessions, he also merely made me list approximately what I wished to move. He did not ask me to conduct a video recording of the furniture and possessions in my apartment, so his quote was not based on a reasonable assessment of my property. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, I should suspect fraud if there is no agent to assess my belongings of if I am not asked to make a video record and send that to the moving broker. Unfortunately, I found this out only after I was scammed. Steph said that if I didn't make a deposit THAT day, I would not receive my quote, and I also found out that consumers should not have to pay for a quote up front, but only when they book the mover or mover broker. I was asked to pay 1/3 of the cost up front that day. Once again, I was uncomfortable doing that but was assured that I could get my full deposit back if I chose to go with another mover. There was no mention of a 48-hour deadline. If he had mentioned that during the phone call, I would NOT have sent a deposit. Once again, this was the first company I contacted. He also told me to ignore any other company that contacted me. I did receive many calls and emails once I began searching for a mover. Steph also informed me that I could make any changes to my move up to 7 days prior to the move.  He also told me that other movers would not give me an accurate quote and that if I did get other quotes, he would like to point out that the weight would probably not be accurate and that I would be charged for additional weight in the long run. This is odd, since he had no real idea of the weight of my possessions and that I would probably be charged extra by HIS company. Steph also said that if I did find another mover, he would like the opportunity to meet the competitor's quote by 10%. These were his persuasive tactics. During this phone call, I was naive enough to pay by echeck, giving the company access to my personal bank account. Once again, there was no mention of a 48-hour window to cancel the estimate and there was no mention during the phone call that I would be in danger of losing my deposit. I asked the question during the phone call and I was deceived into believing otherwise. I will admit that I didn't read the document that I was sent following the transaction, except for the list of my possessions. I noticed on the list that I failed to include several things and when I emailed Steph directly, he did not return my email. I have all of the correspondence from that day. I don't care what it says in the contract, I was told differently during the phone call and that’s BAD business as far as I am concerned. I was taken advantage of and I'm sure that this company has done the same thing to others. When I looked up the company on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website, I received a document that said that the company was not a member and should not be doing business as a mover or mover broker. I am adding that document to this complaint. I am also including the document with the list of possessions to be moved provided by American Relocation AND  the list of possessions provided by SHYFT, the moving broker company that I found using AARP. SHYFT had me video all of my possessions on a video phone call, I was asked to open drawers, cupboard doors and closet doors so that they could get an accurate assessment. The provided me with a free quote and once I decided on a mover with the type of insurance I wished to have, I was then only asked for a $250.00 deposit. Since that time, I have been in touch with the mover via email and on the phone. I wish I would have thought to start looking for a mover on AARP to begin with. 

Celeste Walker