Black Bear Moving and Storage

THEY WILL SCAM MORE MONEY OUT OF YOU. Not even exaggerating. Plus they are bad with communication and their contract does not work out in your favor at at all. And you might lose something like I did. Moved from CA to WA I went with Black Bear not by choice. I used a broker and did not know who would be performing the move until the day before I was scheduled to move out. To keep that part short. Do not go with Allegiance Moving. I left a review for them too. It's companies like these that make moving one of the most stressful events in a person's life. FOR THE SCAM PORTION. When they showed up, the man who was in charge estimated that we had 750 cubic feet of stuff. I thought this was false. I did some measuring and had calculated much less. But I mistakenly trusted him as a professional and deferred to his judgment. After everything was loaded he said he'll help me out and knock off 50 cubic feet and call it an even 700. I had all my belongings delivered to a storage unit (see communication part) that measured 800 cubic feet. After the movers placed everything in my stuff took up maybe a little more than half the space. Closer to the volume I had expected through my own measuring. So they took over probably $1,000 dollars from us on that alone. (again see communication) FOR COMMUNICATION. The brokers told me they deliver everything in 3-5 days. Day 5 I called and they said it'll take a a few more days. "We're looking for a truck" After a few more days I talked to someone else and her said their usual window is 7-14 days. So with that we had to buy some clothes (the weather had begun to turn where we moved) and kitchen supplies because we packed thinking we'd only need enough for a week. This is when they also told me that I'll get a call when our things are on a truck then another call a day before delivery. It was after this call I looked at their contract. THEIR DELIVERY WINDOW IS 30 DAYS. And there is no consequence if there are late. There is no consequence if you buy new things because they take longer. I only got one call and that was the evening before they arrived. 20 days after pick up. It doesn't seem too bad now but when you're given false info every step of the way, every day feels much longer. Another thing they told me is that delivery would take place with an 18 wheeler and not the moving truck they picked up with. With that I had to change plans and rent out a storage unit. Our streets are too narrow for anything bigger than a moving truck. The unit costed me $300. And I didn't even need it. The movers came in a standard moving truck. I could have arranged street parking. THEY LOST A VALUABLE ITEM. After the movers emptied out the truck I noticed one item was missing. This thing is worth $2,000. I eventually got it back a few day later. But with everything that happened before and from what I read in the reviews I assumed I was never getting it back. So for that they get one star.

This whole situation has been an exhausting nightmare, and I would not recommend this company. There’s literally been issue after issue and they do a horrible job at relaying information 1. I originally went through Star Alliance who apparently sold the job to Black Bear. I had no idea until my items were picked up 2. They said I had more things than I said I did but I actually had less as I threw items away and was under the box allowance but I paid $400 extra anyways because I had to be out of my apartment 4. I had no idea I couldn’t pay by ACH (how I paid my deposit) until they showed up 5. I keep getting the runaround from Black Bear. They don’t return voicemails and when I’m finally able to get somebody on the phone I’m getting different answers 6. I had no idea my items were being put in storage. I was under the impression that once loaded, they’d be traveling across the country 7. I found out that the delivery is 10-14 days after my first available date and not the pickup like I was originally told 8. I was told they couldn’t find my payment a week after pickup and wouldn’t load my items until I paid. I paid through wire transfer the day after pickup. I spent two weeks going back and forth with them about this, even sent a multiple receipts from my bank. I kept talking to different people who told me they would let the wire department “know” that I said I paid, but had to deal with the same issue every time I called. Took them 3 weeks to locate my payment 9. Every time I call they say they don’t have a truck to load my items and don’t know when they will. Why would you take a job you can’t complete in a timely matter? 10. I then was told that once my stuff is loaded it takes 7 to 10 business days on average for my items to reach me Now they’re saying that legally they have 30 business days to have everything delivered and they don’t include weekends. Besides not having anything I own, I’ve moved to a colder state and don’t have clothes for the colder months. They have no idea when my items will be picked up or when I’ll receive them. They also don’t do refunds. I drove my car cross-country for the move and would been better off driving my belongings as well. I wish I’d known it had been brokered through Black Bear, so I could’ve researched them prior to letting them take my things. They’re representatives are completely unbothered that they have all of my belongings and I’m sitting in an empty apartment. Based on other reviews I’m afraid my items will be damaged and/or bug infested as well. Do NOT go with Black Bear if you want your items in a timely matter. I have quite a few colleagues relocating as well and will be telling them the same.

If you’re reading this and are also a victim of Black Bear Moving & Storage please reach out to California’s Attorney General (https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company) Enough complaints will eventually lead to an investigation. I have never written a bad review for a company before, however, I feel a moral obligation to warn potential victims about this terribly abusive and destructive business. Every 1 star review is an exact reflection of my experience. I can only conclude that the good reviews left here have been bought, as countless other victims of this company have also suggested. Black Bear up-charged my original quote by thousands of dollars upon arriving. They had unbelievably rude and disrespectful customer service. I was told repeatedly “that’s your problem, not ours” and “you’re wasting everyone's time” when asking for more information about being up-charged, or my delivery being delayed by nearly 2 months. The final result was over half of my furniture being completely ruined (see photos). This is a predatory and fraudulent company. Both my wife and I will be leaving reviews on every platform we can in addition to filing official complaints with the BBB and Attorney General of California. My attorney sent them a damages claim to which they did not respond. Full Story: Black Bear Moving came to pick up my items on July 10th 2020. Upon arrival they upcharged my original quote by thousands of dollars. They claimed I had more than the agreed upon cubic feet even though I had measured everything for the salesperson on the phone. Their van was unmarked and none of the movers had branded attire. The van had no cubes or measurements on the floor or walls to determine cubic feet. The man told me he was able to determine the exact dimensions of everything by looking at it. I had to eliminate nearly three quarters of the agreed upon items for the move by putting them into storage so as not to be charged more than I was planning. I was asked the soonest date I could receive the items which I listed as July 27th. I did not receive my items until September 21st. Prior to delivery they claimed it would be an additional $450 for drop off because their truck was unable to access my property. This was not a problem for the company that recently dropped off my 2 cars that were shipped cross country. The people I was staying with also informed me they’ve been at the property for 30 years and never had an issue with 18 wheelers making a delivery. I asked Black Bear I picked a secondary location to avoid the extra charge, how will I know it will be acceptable? They said “that’s not our problem” and I’d have to call my local police department. I did this and the police informed me that my current location should have no issue, that the company sounded as though they were being dishonest. They would not release my goods off of their truck to inspect my items until they were paid cash for the rest of the delivery. Upon receiving my goods it was immediately noticeable that over half of our items were damaged or completely ruined. Our expensive white couch looked as though it was dunked into a muddy puddle, it smelled of mold and had an irremovable stain. Our mattress was damp and smelled of mold with a water stain as well. Our dresser and nightstands were scratched and the drawers would no longer close properly. They also offloaded a chair that was not ours insisting that it was. We uncovered the moving blankets to confirm it was not our chair. Had we not said anything someone would have lost their item forever. This behavior is completely unacceptable. I paid them to ruin our furniture. If you have experienced anything like this, then I urge you to contact the California Attorney General and file complaints with the BBB, yelp etc. I will be taking every legal action possible to correct the damage that Black Bear has caused to my family's belongings. I suggest anyone considering them look elsewhere.

BEWARE! Scam artists! Over 60 days and we are just getting our things as I write this review (pick up date 8/04/2020-expected delivery date 8/14/2020- ACTUAL DELIVERY DATE 10/19/2020. My husband called & spoke w Victor on Monday 10/13/2020 who said per the wait time on our items we owed as of that Monday $758, but our things are scheduled to be delivered that upcoming weekend which would account for another $120 deducted off the $758, totaling the balance owed at $638. The driver has been at my house since 4pm. It is 5:40pm now & myself, husband and driver have been calling black bear for almost 2 hours as the driver has the balance owed at $1018! Victor spoke to my husband today & would not tell him where he got this $638 number from. David is WORTHLESS and told our driver to leave with our things since we aren’t agreeing to pay the $1018. Then they put us on with yet ANOTHER customer care supervisor names Samantha who said the best she could do is get our total down to $898. I am taking legal action as we had already paid over $2500 when they picked our things up 2 months ago. They scammed us, held our things in California for over 60 days with no reason as to WHY we haven’t received our household goods, then they gave us a made up number of what would be owed and went back on that number and upped the price and told the driver to leave with our things when they’ve already held our things hostage in their storage in California for 2 months. I spent well over $7,000 double buying everything as I have a 9 month old who WAS 7 months old at the date of pick up. Have been without her crib, nursery, and all necessities to raise an infant. RUN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION! ALSO! They aren’t even the MOVERS!! They sub contract drivers! So we had a broker sub contract us out to black bear moving and STORAGE who then contracted us out to a different MOVING company bc this company only stores your things and holds them there for as long as they please and could give a shit about their customers!! We paid $900 for our broken items. I can’t post pics on here but I have updated my yelp review throughout the last 2 months, if you want to see the photos

Worst service I've had with any company in my life. Don't believe the quote because they will charge you a lot more and find ways to add extra charges. Extremely shady practices since they don't seem to have any accountability. Use at your own risk but be warned, you get what you pay for. And in this case, you'll pay twice as much in the end and still get horrible service.