tessa_kelly•1mo agoProlific Poster

Why does nobody talk about how broker bait-and-switch works on cross country moves?

I booked with a broker for shipping my Honda Civic from Denver to Atlanta last month. Paid $950 upfront. The day before pickup they said the driver backed out and the new price was $1,450. I already took time off work so I had to say yes. Then the actual carrier showed up four days late with a beat up open trailer with no tie down straps that looked sketchy. My car arrived with a cracked windshield and a dent on the rear bumper. The broker said it's not their problem because it's the carrier's fault. The carrier insurance said I signed for delivery before inspecting because they rushed me. I lost $1,450 and got $200 back from the insurance after 6 weeks of arguing. Has anyone else gotten stuck in this loop where the broker changes the carrier at the last minute and you have no real recourse?

2 comments

2 Comments

williamh651mo ago

Saw this exact same scam pattern on a consumer watchdog show and it made me furious.

the_elizabeth1mo ago

Right, so you paid $950 for the luxury of losing $1,250 and a cracked windshield. What a steal! It's like the moving industry's version of a trust fall, except they just let you hit the floor and then ask for more money. The whole "oh the first guy backed out, here's a total stranger with a rusty trailer" trick is their favorite move. And then everyone just shrugs and says "not my problem" while your car gets totaled. Fantastic business model, really.