A Scam Called a Moving Company

I haven’t seen this maneuver in a couple years but it still smells just as bad.  Over at the new store we had a very nice lady reserve a space.  Her story was that she was moving from somewhere in New Mexico to Yukon Oklahoma and our facility was in the best location for her needs.  She showed up around 10 am rented one of our biggest units and sat back to wait on the moving company.   3 hours later she was still waiting.  I then came to find out that the moving company was stopped on the side of the highway outside of town.  The home office of the moving company had decided to re-evaluate the price of the move, but they had not told their customer yet she just thought they were running late.  This is when I realized that she was doing business with the wrong moving company.   The truck did show up, and parked itself right in front of our gate.   The driver then lets the nice lady know that the main company has re-evaluated the load and the charge for the move has now gone from a staggering $3,000 to an unbelievable $10,000.  That’s right kids they wanted her to pay $7,000 more or he would not be allowed to unload the truck.  Now I did feel like ripping this driver a new orifice, but in reality he was not calling the shots here.  Luckily we soon found out who was. This sweet mild grand ma who had moved to Yukon to live at a retirement home close to her sons turned on the old George Patton.  She had a nice conversation with the moving company management.  She was nice and sweet and got all kinds of information.  Then while the company talked to the driver she called one son, a nice contractor here in the state to come by and help.  He showed up to block the truck in so it could not leave.  Then she called her other son a corporate contract lawyer and turned him loose on the moving company’s corporate leaders.  She ended her battle strategy by calling the Oklahoma City Sheriff’s department.

As soon as the lawyer got involved the driver got a call to leave our facility and to take his load to the company warehouse.  He had to tell them he could not because he was blocked in.  Then the sheriff showed up to take a report on the incident that was happening.  Then the Lawyer / son called to tell mom to only pay the $3,000 dollars after they unload and that his office would be dealing with the claim for the $7,000 extra.  At this point the driver received a call and then unloaded the truck.  These guys screwed with the wrong lady, but they would not be doing this if they did not get away with it most of the time. 

The bad news to all of this was someone had to stay and mind the store and the gates till all this was done.  Sometime after 10 pm.

The lesson:  National moving companies are not your friends.  Even if they have all American names , and large moving Vans, and can move you stuff in a straight Line.  Do not let anyone load your stuff without a written contract that states the final price.  Best policy is to rent your own truck and higher movers on both ends, one to load and another to unload.  I just do not trust the big name trucking companies.