1 Apr 2023 · MoveAdvisor
1.0 out of 51.0
If I could give a 0 and guarantee NO ONE else would EVER go through the experience that I have, I would. BE AWARE OF SOUTHERN GUARANTEE AND THEIR FRAUDULENT PRACTICES. And before I go any further, let me be clear that I have evidence, witnesses, and the traumatic physical and mental scars to bear of all that I will say, REGARDLESS of their response which may follow this review.
First of all, this company should be put out of business, if not by the FTC, DOT, FBI, then by WE, the people. I felt comfortable going with this company in a move from VA and believing they were ethical, patriotic, honest, and safe; through the process of engaging them, a representative recognized my name from a DoD foreign service PCS just a few years prior. THEY ARE NOT. Their federal contract with DoD should be pulled and all licenses to do business revoked for federal and interstate domestic moves, as I experienced every violation in federal law concerning this company and their unethical partnership with Sala Moving.
Let’s start with “Southern Guarantee Moving”, an oxymoron if ever I’ve encountered one. Their “guarantee” is to guarantee you fraud and fleecing, then wipe their hands of you after claiming and presenting themselves to be actual movers with a large fleet to accomplish your move and any tasking. NOT SO. THEY ARE MOVING BROKERS who do not identify themselves as such and con you out of 1000s of dollars to do what you can do: pick up a phone and coordinate your own move with an actual moving company that can and will accomplish what you want and need for an actual, legitimate price for time, material, and services rendered.
When you start to engage with them, they clearly appear to be on the level, asking all the right questions, ensuring all: packers, boxes down to the kind for different types of items, packing materials, items room by room, size. I spent two hours on the phone going through all with the first rep reassuring me of smooth sailing and even discounts. During the call, I started getting a ton of text messages, including one from a person asking moving questions and claiming to be my mover. I questioned this with SG and the rep told me to ignore these texts and emails, that they were companies trying to steal their business because my name had entered the DOT database. SG finished the booking and transferred me to accounts for payment. I was at peace and grateful for what I thought a blessing, but I soon discovered the devil in disguise.
A few days later, I received a call from their QC department (not actually a QC by his own words), meanwhile continuing to get messages from this other guy and trying to get my intake person on the phone to clarify these claims. What came out of this call truly made me uneasy. After reviewing everything requested, I was told I needed a greater number of boxes, clothes hanging boxes weren’t included in the agreement after discussing with the first rep, on top of numerous additional discrepancies between the two SG reps. Bottom line, that conversation ended with a readjustment of the “deposit” owed for moving which had to be paid by ACH (you only have 2 days to dispute and have a fighting chance to get your money back) in less than 24 hours or the move would be canceled.
At NO time did anyone rep of SG ever say or allude to being a broker, tell me their “fleet” was actually third-party movers with their own set of rules, charges, negotiations, etc., or reveal the name of another company scheduled to move me. I started putting two and two together and pressing their customer service for answers. A customer service rep and his supervisor finally admitted all (except the additional charges) and the supervisor reassured me all would be well, apologized for the lacking behavior in communication (finally called me days before the move) by the foreman of this third-party company (sighting an excuse that they were foreigners and that was their way!).
I discovered these additional charges when they showed up end of business, a day early, claiming my 1 bedroom/den would cost a minimum $12,000 to move! I immediately contacted Southern Guarantee for assistance to which holding phone games were played, false empathy from the rep claiming disbelief wanting to help, Sala Moving called and spoke with their SG POC while I was on the phone, then we spoke together. It was clear they were all complicit and in the scam. The supervisor finally came on and stated SG was washing their hands and that I had to deal with the 3rd party now threatening to leave my things unless we paid half in cash then; hostage situation for cash balance & sig before delivery w/ doc ref 30 days to pay.
Sala was only a moving company not packers, had no boxes, no packing material, no tools. I had to leave my place, run ATM to ATM, plead with my banks to increase the withdrawal limit, spend $300 for boxes and a drill to take furniture apart, and get back to pack my own stuff!
So much more but out of room..
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