BBB
National Alert: “Lack of” Integrity
Movers aka Horizon Moving Systems Receives an ‘F’ Rating Due to Serious Complaints
November
28, 2012 – Myrtle Beach, SC
The Better Business Bureau of Coastal
Carolina is issuing a national warning about
Integrity Moving Systems aka Horizon Moving Systems aka National Van Lines aka Integrity Van Lines. The
business has “moved” people in 11 states (NH, WA, AZ, OK, FL, NY, CA, NJ, PA,
NE and MD). The business has an ‘F’
rating due to a serious pattern of unanswered complaints. BBB has received 18 complaints, 15 of which
have been unanswered by the business.
“Moving is always a stressful time”, said
Kathy Graham, President/CEO of the BBB of Coastal Carolina, Inc. “The thought
of losing all of your personal belongings to a moving company is a nightmare”,
said Graham. “Checking the credentials
of any moving company is extremely important.
Consumers can start by checking a moving company’s complaint record by
contacting www.bbb.org or calling your
local BBB office”, said Graham.
Complaints allege that household items
never reached the final moving destination; one consumer alleges that they were
told their entire household was burned in a mechanical fire of the moving
truck. Some have been quoted one rate only to have it double when the movers
show up. Others claim that they never
received their deposit refunds upon cancellation of the contract within their
legal rights. Others claim damaged goods
and being charged storage fees in order to receive their items.
Others allege unauthorized drafts from
debit/credit cards and bank accounts. Individual amounts are accounted as
higher than $1,500 per transaction.
The business claims to be in Myrtle Beach,
SC, however, Myrtle Beach SC Code Enforcement has verified that the address
listed by Integrity Moving Systems is a vacant building. The true physical
address of this business remains unknown.
BBB offers the following Tips and “Red
Flags” to look for when searching for a moving company:
Know your
rights. Learn about your
rights at protectyourmove.gov or from your state
attorney’s general’s office.
Start your search
by getting a list of BBB Accredited movers. Get a list of at
least 3 companies to check out. Ask each
company for references and have each potential mover make an in-home estimate
to avoid conflicts in fees later on and a estimate over the telephone will
likely be a lowball number designed merely to draw you in.
Most movers charge
by weight. If a moving company claims to charge by cubic
be very cautious.
Make sure there are
no “extra” fees. Such as fuel or dis-assemble/re-assemble
fees.
Reputable
businesses won’t demand cash payments or large deposits. This takes away any control you have over
when your things will show up.
Interstate movers
are required to be licensed by the federal government and are assigned a
motor carrier number. Verify the license at protectyourmove.gov.
Make sure the mover
has insurance. The insurance
should cover your goods while in transit.
However, you want to consider getting full value protection insurance
which may cost more upfront, but could save you headaches after the move. When creating a contract, ask about the
claims process; even the most trustworthy business will drop something from
time to time.
Ask the business if
they have a background check process for their employees. A company that is handling the personal
property of their customers should make the extra effort to perform complete
background checks on all of their employees.
If you have been a victim of this fraud,
the BBB suggests you contact BBB to file a
complaint and your local police department.
Kathy Graham is the President/CEO of the BBB of
Coastal Carolina. She can be reached at 843-488-0238,
or by e-mail: kathygraham@coastalcarolina.bbb.org
The mission of the Better
Business Bureau is to promote, through self-regulation, the highest standards
of business ethics and conduct, and to instill confidence in responsible
businesses through programs of education and action that inform, protect and assist
the general public. Contact the BBB by
phone at (843)488-2227, or http://myrtlebeach.bbb.org/ or info@coastalcarolina.bbb.org
