Chicago Moving Systems= Organized Crime Outfit
Bill
Submitted this review about
Chicago Moving Systems
Review made Live: 12/23/2008 3:30:00 PM
I was estimated by this company to move some personal belongings from Illinois to Arizona. I initially received quotes from 6 different companies. They all were fairly similar. However Chicago Moving Systems quoted me the lowest price of $950 to move my entire house. My gut told me something was a little fishy but out of curiosity I called this company back. I wanted to see how they could do it so cheap.
My initial call to the local number listed on their website was answered by a man whose name I could not understand. He spoke loudly and was very unclear in his speech. He quickly became irate with me when he couldn't understand that I was asking for Max. He then told me that I called the wrong number and gave me a different number to call. So then I called the other number.
Max was much more pleasant to speak with in conversation and much easier to understand. He explained to me that this company was able to perform the move so cheaply because they were such a large company with over 15 years of long distance moving under their belts.
He assured me that all my packing was included and to be performed by the movers at the time of the pickup.
He told me to check with the better business bureau for all of his competitors to see how they checked out. I wasn't able to find anything bad for his company there so it looked good to me.
At this time I put down a small deposit of $190 for the relocation. This is where my problems began. After this it was very hard to reach Max or anyone else at the company. 2 days before my moving day the company called and verified my pickup time. If they wouldn't have called I would have called my credit card company for fraud at this point since I could no longer get a hold of anyone.
On the moving day the crew showed up to my house. My son let them in and upon opening the door the lead mover spat just as my son opened the door and got chewing tobacco spit on my son. What a despicable way to show up at a customer's house!!!! I figured it was just an accident but still what a terrible foot to get off on!
I should have sent them home right away and told them no thanks but I had to get out of my house and get my stuff out to Arizona A.S.A.P.!!!!!
I knew it would take at least a few days to book another mover on short notice so I just went with it and hoped for the best.
First off I would have never hired this company if I would have known that thugs would be coming into my house. Second off this company lies through their teeth to get your credit card info and it shows on the day of the move. The lead mover eventually came up to me and informed me that he could tell me that I had at least $500 in packing materials alone. I told them to halt the move at that point until we got this resolved because Max told me everything was included.
I could not get a hold of Max but the lead mover guy told me to speak with the owner. He called from my phone and arranged for me to speak with him. Surprise surprise guess who the owner was? He was the SAME guy that answered the phone the first time I called. This has got to me the rudest most inconsiderate man I have ever spoken to.
He talked over me multiple times and was very loud and aggressive in his speech with me. He kept insisting that I didn't know what I was talking about and that how since I signed the contract that his guys were to load the truck and if I disagreed with paying for the service provided that he could sell my stuff or take me to court for the money. I had never felt so threatened by a business in my life!
After I got off the phone I found 2 of the movers going through my fridge and drinking my beer!!!! They told me that they were on their break and that since I was moving the fridge it was just going to go to waste anyway.
I was absolutely appalled by their behavior. My son said when he looked out the window on another of their supposed 'breaks' he saw one of the guys sitting in the cab of the truck loading a gun!!!!!!!!! Had he told me this during the move I would have called the police!!!!!!!!
After they finished loading the truck I asked the lead mover when he felt my items would be arriving. He shrugged at me and said 'I don't know whenever we find someone to take it out there'.
I was already stressed out beyond belief with this whole situation and now I find out the truth...
Chicago Moving Systems used to be known as a company called ASAP Van Lines in Illinois.
This company operated for a few years and racked up MANY MANY MANY MANY complaints with the Better Business Bureau and www.movingscam.com
Since their reputation was spoiled they started operating under a new company name.
In doing further research from www.movingscam.com and the links they provided to Federal Government moving websites this company is a complete scam outfit. They have NOT been in business over 15 years in fact they haven't even been in business for 5 years!
I also found out that they are trying to find another trucking company to drive my stuff to Arizona!!! What was the point in hiring this company to only take my stuff to their warehouse? I agreed to pay for them to take my stuff to Arizona! Now they're telling me that it could take up to a month for my stuff to get there!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm absolutely livid with this company, their lies, and their deceptive sales practices.
In the end my 200 cubic foot estimate became 1211 cubic feet and they charged me a higher rate for every cubic foot over the initial 200!!!! I was never made aware of this by Max! Next they ended up charging me for 30 rolls of packing tape ($150), packing of 4 mattresses ($140), packing of the 2 sofas ($60), packing of my TV ($130), packing of my recliner ($30), packing of my grandfather clock ($135), and also my entertainment center ($90).
That came out to $735 in just packing charges alone!
In the end to deliver my stuff they want $9773 to deliver my stuff.
This is not a moving company, this is an organized crime outfit and I will be filing complaints will all government agencies that will allow me to do so.
