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I am currently in Iraq and my wife is moving back to North Carolina from Illinois before I get back from my deployment. She discovered a company that had the best prices to move our house hold goods. She discovered this legitimate scam company to move our belongings 12 July, 2010. This company appears to be certified through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), but conducts themselves with an illegitimate operation by giving a BINDING estimate of a price range around $900 - $1000, regardless of how many items you inform that are to be moved. My wife was provided a quote of $1015.08 due to the representative writing down just enough items onto the quote to make it appear within that range. Additionally, they charged $754 for the transportation of our vehicle, but due to the company passing our vehicle to another company to transport which we received on 14 July, 2010 in North Carolina (on time). My wife was explained by the other company moving the vehicle she was charged $300 more than what she was expected to pay, after she already paid. When the movers come to transport your belongings they will charge you for an excessive amount of wrapping tape and boxes. They will also pick up your belongings in a rented Budget truck and claim that there are lines in the back of the Budget truck that can be use to tell the weight of the items in the truck and charge extra for the added weight. Furthermore, they will charge a grossly large amount of money for the use of boxes and wrapping tape (my wife was charged $793 for this additional charge). Additionally, once this process is put together and the newly added sum (which will be approximately 3 - 4 times higher than the original estimate) is given you are informed that you will have to pay 70% of this new price before they transport your belongings, and after they have already loaded everything onto the Budget truck. In my wife case she was charged approximately 3 times higher than the original estimate ($3, 675). Due to my wife already having a plane ticket set in for her to catch 14 July, 2010 she felt she had no other choice but to comply. Furthermore, this is the first time my wife has ever moved all of our belongings on her own. Based off of previous victims of this company whose belongings were transported from a relatively shorter distance it takes approximately 1 - 5 days for victims’ belongings to be received after their initial estimated date of arrival. For victims whose destinations are longer distance (such as mine and my wife's case) it takes approximately 2 - 2 1/2 weeks for their belongings to arrive after the initial date of arrival provided. Victims that receive their belongings discover that they are missing items and have multiple broken, as well. The victims of this company can be discovered on complaint sites throughout the internet and several are listed below. My wife and I have been lied to from the representative that answers the phone about the date our belongings are to be delivered many times. I was informed that my belongings were to be delivered the afternoon of 24 July, 2010 because she had talked to the driver and he said that he was not too far away. Our belongings were never delivered. I spoke with a representative again on 26 July, 2010 and was informed me the reason for the delay has been because the trailer that they are using broke down several days ago and was in the shop. She went further to say that the driver was not anywhere near North Carolina and would be there around 28 July, 2010 evening or 29July, 2010 morning. As expected, the movers did not show, and I was called the company to speak with the same representative again. After multiple phone calls I was able to get a hold of the one representative that informed she is aware that my belongings were not at its’ destination and she would call my wife and inform her what the driver’s phone number is 2 minutes after she got off the phone with me. Of course, there was no follow-on call to my wife and no one would answer our phone calls anymore. After approximately 2 ½ hours later my wife received a phone call from their representative and she informed my wife that our belongings would be delivered either 31 July, 2010 or 01 August 2010. Prior to 24 July, 2010 my wife made attempts of contacting them every day since their representative lied about our belongings arriving 2 days after the original estimated time frame. When a representative would answer the phone she would only inform my wife that our belongings would arrive two additional days each day she was able to get in contact with their representative. Based off of the previous complaints posted by other victims and the suspicious background of this company, my wife and I are concerned whether we will receive our belongings back at all.
Through additional research of this company through complaint columns and Cyber Drive Illinois website (http://www.ilsos.gov/corporatellc/CorporateLlcController) I have been able to discover that this company has been known under multiple different names associated with the same individual by the name of Itzhak Alial or Isaac Alial (names are likely a mispronunciation or an intentional act to disguise the individual). The other named companies reported to be run by the same individuals were Peak Van Lines/Nova Van Lines, Target Moving and Storage, and Nova Van Lines. Also through research of complaint columns there was another company within the same area reported to be run by the same individuals that operated these other previous companies called Galaxy Van Lines, but when you search the name of the company there is a different name associated to be the agent by the name of Anat Mariuma (Anat Mariuma and the name Itzhak Alial are likely Israeli names spelled Itzik Alial and Anat Marom). As well, another named company they have been reported to operate is named Select, Inc which will provide information with an agent name of IVAN D ZAGOROV and a location within Chicago, Il, but when you search this company on Vanlines.com (http://www.vanlines.com/moving_company_info/select_van_lines_nls_il.html) you will discover that this company is the same company of Select Van Lines located in Skokie, Il. Through these searches the individuals that run these named companies have operated out of Niles, Il and Skokie, Il, but the most recent active location places them in Niles, Il (majority of previous named companies are reported to be dissolved other than United Relocation Van Lines. There is one individual that answers their toll free number by the name of Evon and she eventually passes a landline number that is to Evon's claimed manager Nicole. Both women have the exact same voice and are more than likely the same person. There is also information on the internet that describe 1 woman that will use different names for the company. Through coordination between another victim of this company and I it was discovered that the female representative does provide a false name. Her real name is Anat Marom, confirmed by the Skokie police.
Claimed Addresses by United Relocation Van Lines...
3401 Madison St
Skokie, IL 60076
9016 N Churchill Cir
Niles, IL [protected]
7302 W. Crain St Suite 2
Niles, IL [protected]
The location in Skokie, IL is owned by another company with no affiliation of moving businesses called Special Care, Inc. Both Niles, IL locations are houses that have been put on sale.
When I called the 1 woman, calling herself Nicole at the time, I asked where she was located at and her other associated addresses with United Relocation Van Lines. She was unaware of what her current location and had to go find out what it was. After waiting approximately 5 minutes for her to find out she gave me the incorrect address, but corrected herself soon after. She said she operated out of the Skokie, IL location, and was unaware of what the other addresses are that her company operated out of, even though they have them posted all throughout the internet.
Through extensive internet research I have been able to discover that the company either has gone by or actively goes by...
Peak Van Lines, Galaxy Van Lines, Target Moving and Storage, Target Van Lines, Select Moving and Storage, Nova Van Lines, Select, Inc, United Relocation Van Lines, United Relocation Lines (there is no "Van" within this name), United Chicago Relocation Lines, and United Recovery Van Lines.
Websites:
unitedrelocationlines.com
unitedchicagorelocation.com
selectvanlines.com
Associated complaint sites:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/select-van-lines-niles
http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=124740
United Relocation Van Lines — Moving Company Scam
United Relocation Van Lines — Awful company
http://www.yelp.com/biz/united-relocation-van-lines-niles
...and many more searched within google.com as well as within the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
If anyone can assist in the event my belongings are not delivered so that I can pursue legal actions against this company I would greatly appreciate it.