We had a contract with First Choice Moving & Storage in Encinitas, CA. for $1265 to move a 1 bedroom apartment from Pacific Beach, CA to Radford, VA.

First Choice gave our shipment to Pegasus Van Lines. Pegasus had my son sign a blank bill of lading and a blank cost sheet (for materials) and filled it in later to the tune of $935 for bubble wrap and used cardboard.

We had no choice but to pay the $2195 upon arrival or our belongings would have been held "hostage".

We did not receive a bill of lading, a service order or rights and responsibilities forms at time of pickup which is highly illegal.

Our shipment arrived without approx. $1, 000 worth of furniture which Pegasus has admitted he has in his warehouse but he is holding it "hostage" at this point (even though we paid the bill). The dresser contains valuable info such as birth certificates, etc.

Our new, white $800 mattress arrived filthy dirty because it was not wrapped/padded whatsoever. Mega Transportation (who Pegasus gave our shipment to) advised me that the mattress was not covered when he picked it up from Pegasus in San Diego. $935 for wrapping and the mattress was never wrapped.

I want the two moving companies exposed for their fraudulent ways. Even though the DOT and the Surface Board out of Washington, D.C., the American Moving & Storage and the BBB have notified them in writing, they have not budged to date in giving us our money back or giving us our belongings.

Because these moving companies have gotten away with this for so long, they feel they cannot be touched. They have defrauded the wrong person this time. I want to stand up for the many who have already been defrauded and the many more to come if they are not stopped.

This has caused such a hardship to our family. We have left two automobiles stranded in San Diego because they stole the money which we were to use to bring our autos back to Virginia.