81-year-old Buddy Bortman is on the hunt for justice after, he says, a car transport company recently shipped him nothing but problems.
"It’s very aggravating, extremely aggravating," he said.
It started last fall. Buddy needed his car shipped from Massachusetts to Florida.
When one transport company never showed, he dialed up a company he used before, Transport Services, aka 1 st Choice Auto Transport. The Boca Raton-based company is an online broker that claims to be "one of the most reputable auto relocation companies around," according to its website.
But Buddy describes the company a different way.
"Crook, out to scam people."
That's because, Buddy says, just minutes after he signed on with Transport Services, coincidentally, the other company showed up.
So Buddy canceled his order with Transport Services and says he was promised a full refund for the $800 service, he says, he didn’t use. But Buddy says Transport Services didn’t keep its promise. According to Buddy, the company even lied about providing him the service when he took the dispute up with his credit card company.
For the past year, the Contact 5 Investigators have been tracking Transport Services online and what appears to be a pattern of leaving customers around the country high and dry.
Robin Lenoach, of Chicago, hired the company a few years ago to ship her car to Florida. She says, she paid a deposit but never got the service.
“It was nothing but headaches after I paid them their money. They lied to us day after day after day," she says.
Andrew Leff, of Pennsylvania, hired Transport Services to ship his car from Texas to Philadelphia a few years ago.
But when the car finally arrived more than 2 weeks later, Leff describes what it looked like, “ my car was under four totaled cars, covered in fluid."
Leff says his quest for answers went nowhere with the company, so he took matters into his own hands by creating the website: transportservicesonlinesucks.com
"I didn't want anyone to experience what I had gone through and I couldn't believe my case was isolated.”
3 years later, his website for the angry and frustrated is still attracting the disappointed and dissatisfied.
So is the Better Business Bureau that shows the company, which is not a member, has an F rating.
The Contact 5 Investigators have confirmed the Florida Attorney General's office has also fielded complaints, nearly three dozen. Most of the complaints come from customers who claim Transport Services provided them nothing but pricey hassles and costly headaches.
While the company does have online supporters who rave about its service, most complaints come from former customers claiming Transport Services provided them nothing but pricey hassles and costly headaches.
So what does the company have to say?
Calls into the company were not returned so the Contact 5 Investigators stopped by company offices in Boca Raton, where we found President, Jeremy Feller outside.
Contact 5 Reporter Katie LaGrone said, "Hey Jeremey, how's it going?"
Jeremy Feller: “No comment.”
Katie: "Hey Jeremy, why are all these people complaining about you? Why don't you guys just talk to us?"
Jeremy Feller opened his office door and shut it, without saying another word.
Buddy Bortman was refunded most of his money through his credit card company.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association is now looking into Transport Services and some of its business practices.
Meantime, consumer experts warn before you sign up to have your car shipped this season
--do your research-- check online review boards
--check to make sure the company you want to use is licensed to do business in your area.
-- and finally, if the company refuses to take a credit card, that's your sign to walk away.
If you want to report your own experience or file a complaint, visit the following agency websites:
http://myfloridalegal.com/
http://www.bbb.org/
or email Seniors Vs. Crime at SrVsCrime@aol.com.