Swift Movers Van Lines INC

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1. J

   J. G.

   Source: MoveAdvisor

   23 Sep 2014Paid $3,000

   Move interstate a nightmare and overcharged.

   Swift Movers Van Lines of 56 48th St, Brooklyn,  877-786-8234 Swift movers Van Lines is everyone's worst nightmare.  I had never heard of them before they called 2 days before my scheduled move from Jersey to Florida on May 23, 2014. I had contracted with Colonial Van Lines of Florida the month before and paid Colonial $937 as a deposit. The “binding” contract said that I owed Colonial $988 upon delivery.  They promised to take special care of my valuable antiques and family heirlooms. (Avoid them also).  Swift said Colonial had subcontracted to them and it was too late to chnnge. They had terrible review on the internet. They showed up – not with a moving van – but the equivalent of a garbage truck covered in graffiti. Everything was packed and ready. I am a senior widow and was alone. The two movers were intimidating. The one who spoke English bullied me into signing about 10 papers with no time to read them. He mentioned they had to do another job. He showed me a weigh station document for the “empty” truck. Four hours after they left, I received a threatening call from the owner of Swift that I had better have a bank certified check for over $3,000 when the delivery was made ot they would keep my things in storage and charge me. (My "binding" contract with Colonial was for $988 at delivery). He was unable to email me any document to support the overcharge, but he did email me an “authorization” to put the amount on my Am Ex credit card if I didn’t have the check. Swift then switched my load from that truck to at least one other and delivered to Florida on Memorial Day. When I opened the “fragile” boxes, I found they had lost or stolen valuables, vandalized the one large piece of furniture (I moved only 3 pieces of furniture with the boxes) and went through my files as they broke my file cabinet. They insisted I was overweight, but the weigh station document did not show a time – and they had probably picked up another load in addition to mine when they got there. I disputed with AM Ex but they did nothing for me. In subsequent complaints to DOT and Swift, I demanded at least partial repayment of th $1300 overcharge. (Colonial was equally responsible, as they had no right to dump me onto Swift). Swift promised they would send a release and some payment. They still have not.  Colonial had badgered me to take out insurance with them, which I refused because I had home owner’s insurance, which paid only a fraction of what my losses were worth – to say nothing of the emotional strain.  The "insurance" is more like "protection," I think. The DOT does nothing. Avoid Swift and Colonial.