Unethical business that released personal information and committed fraud.
C. McIlwain
Submitted this review about
Tropical Auto Carriers LLC
Review made Live: 4/22/2016 6:01:00 AM
April 11, 2016: I booked a shipment with Tropical Auto Carrier. That day at about 1400hrs I called the company and spoke with Danielle (though, at the time I didn't know her name), who told me she'd be calling me back that evening, or early the next morning, with an update on the status of my vehicle. I didn't receive a phone call that day or the next, or even the next.
April 14, 2016: Called Danielle at 1500hrs, and told her that I never received further communication with her and would respectfully like some sort of a status update. She said that she had two drivers in the area, and that the vehicle would be delivered that weekend (April 15-17) at the latest. I said, "Are you sure? That's pretty fast! WOW!" She assured me, "Yes ma'am! For sure this weekend." I told her thank you, and assumed I'd receive further communication from her or the driver.
April 18, 2016: Called Danielle at 1000hrs, she informed me she recognized my number. It was at this point I asked for her name, which she supplied. I told her how upset I was to have been misinformed on the 11th, as well as the 14th. She said, "I don't know why they would have told you that! We say pick-up within 3 days, deliver within 5 days after pick-up, but it really depends on if there is a driver available." I told her I wanted a status right then. She said a driver had accepted the vehicle, would be picking it up Tuesday, possibly delivering on Tuesday or early Wednesday. I asked her to email me driver info. I also asked, "Are there any reasons why the vehicle would not be picked up on time Tuesday and may be delayed?" She said that the driver would call ahead to the dealership where my vehicle is being picked up, to verify that it is available for pick-up. If for whatever reason it ended up not being available, they would have to reschedule a driver. "Ok, thank you! So Tuesday then? Latest delivery by Wednesday?" "Yes ma'am!" "Ok, and I'll be receiving an email shortly with all of the information on it?" "Yes, you will receive it soon. I will send it once we get off the phone!"
April 19, 2016: Called from 1000hrs to 1200hrs, never receiving an answer. I must have called at least 7-10 times. I decided to call from a different number, seriously two seconds after I put the receiver down on one phone, and Danielle immediately answered. I informed her that I never did receive that email. She said, "I don't know what's wrong with the system! I am going in right now hang on." I held on the line for a brief moment, she says, "Ok, I am trying something different and sending it again." "Great, thanks Danielle!" 1500hrs, still no email, I called her from that different number and she answers. "Danielle, I still didn't receive an email- can you PLEASE send it right now while I am on the phone, so I can confirm receipt?" "I am going into the system right now to send it, I have to log in and find the information, so I will send it as soon as we get off the phone." I hung up frustrated, doubting I'd receive it. I was right. I never received it.
April 20, 2016: I, again, called relentlessly for over an hour from both numbers. I asked my husband to call from our home phone as I was at work. He called, and she answered. He asked for a status, and she said that a driver would pick up on Wednesday, and that she'd be in contact." Unfortuntalely, I wasn't privy to this phone conversation. Therefore, I was unable to press her for information. Naturally, I had questions. I wanted the driver's information since Danielle proved to be so hard to reach, and I just wanted a status update so I wasn't in the dark. I got her on the phone close to 1130hrs. I told her I'd like the driver's information please, name and number. She said she'd have to pull it up in the system and email it. I said, "Yeah, well I never receieved any of those other emails so how can I trust that?" I held on the line and waited until I received the email. I told her thank you and we hung up. I opened the email, which had an attachment. I open the attachment and get this: NO DRIVER INFO, NO PICK-UP or DELIVERY INFO, NOTHING! I emailed her immediately back stating the driver information was missing, to please supply it. She emailed me about 20-30 mins later stating she was sorry about it, and she would pull the info. No attachments were on that email, so I was left confused. Ok, so pull the information and give it to me! Don't just tell me you will, and then not do it! I emailed her telling her that if she had sent an attachment, I didn't get it. She replied 2 hours later that she was getting the information right then and would be in contact. I had enough! I called AGAIN for over an hour from both of my numbers. No surprise, no answer. I *67 my cell, and she answered on the first ring. She then pretends her phone is not working, and puts me on hold. For over 10 minutes. I hang up. I call back. No answer. I asked my friend to let me use their phone to call. Guess what? Picked up on the first ring. When I introduced myself on the phone, she seemed stunned for a moment. When I tell her just how frustrated I am with Tropical Auto for the issues I had, and I listed everying I have written above, she apologized. I asked her if there was anyone else there who could help me. She told me no. I said, "Okay, so there isn't anyone else in customer service, what about a manager." "I am the manager." WHAT? So I told her that SHE was the one who misled me every time I called, and pretended I had spoken with someone else by saying, "I don't know why anyone would tell you that." She was then speechless. I said I wanted the driver info RIGHT NOW, while I'm on the phone, and she said she was pulling it. Then she said there was an issue, that she'd have to call the company for the info. I asked why company the driver was with. She said she wasn't able to see that right that moment. So I asked how she knew who to call then? She said she'd call me back once the info was available. I told her that was a problem because she had promised me MULTIPLE call backs, which I never received. Along with emails that I never received. She assured me that by 1900hrs I would 100% have receiving the info. I asked if there was an after hours number. She said I could call the main line, and she'd have access to it until around 2230, and that if need be I could even text that number. She said she doesn't usually tell people that, but that I could absolutely text that number. At 1600hrs, I text the number to let her know which number I'd like her to reach me at, as I was leaving my office, and I was so sure she'd try to say that she called that number if I wouldn't receive a call by 1900hrs and called her out. The text came immediately back as failed. So I was lied to AGAIN. I sent her an email with the information on it. I told her that if she didn't get the driver info by 1900hrs to still call me to let me know so I wasn't in the dark. 1930hrs rolls in. No call. I call the line, get a voicemail, leave a message stating that I was still waiting and she promised. 2000hrs rolls in, I called uShip to complain. After I hung up, I called and left another voicemail telling her that I was correct for assuming she'd fail me again, and that I'd called uShip, and that she should expect them to reach out to us both the next morning.
April 21, 2016: No emails. No calls. No information. I had Tyler from uShip email Danielle, he cc'd me, that was at 0945hrs. He said to give it 2 hours for her to respond. Which she didn't. I cancelled the booking at around 1230PM, and also booked a flight to pick up the vehicle ourselves. I left a review on www.transportreviews.com with all of the above information. They requested it be removed because "I wasn't an actual customer." I provided the proof to the Admin team, Agnes specifically. I also told her that I had been receiving numerous calls, voicemails, text messages, and EMAILS all of a sudden. The bombardment was from various service providers wanting to ship my vehicle. I had no idea how anyone had received my info! I posted nowhere outside of uShip, and that post was since removed- on the 11th. I received over 100 emails, and dozens of phone calls. She informed me that sometimes when companies receive bad reviews they release false listings with the customer's PRIVATE information- as a punishment for the negative review. Well, I am sorry, I will not accept that. I am contacting a legal represenative, and pursuing pressing charges for fraud (impersonating my husband and myself), infringement of privacy (releasing our names, number, and email addresses, as well as the location where we live), and for harassment. Seriously- why take the time to post false listings across numerous sites, yet not just do the job in the first place? Was it easier to have me on their case for almost 2 weeks, having to have uShip get involved, cancelling the shipment due to their failures/falsehoods, and then turn around and take what I assume to have been at least a couple of hours to post all of those false listings?! Was that easier than just shipping the darn car?
