"America First Movers RIPOFF"

DO NOT use this company. They are BROKERS and do absolutely nothing for you. I paid them $1200 as a deposit on a move- HUGE MISTAKE! They offer no services. I don't know how these people sleep at night after ripping off others.
First mistake, don't ask for an online quote. The vultures immediately start calling you- that's your first sign.
1. Go to the Better Business Bureau's website and check out the reviews for the moving company you've selected before signing anything.
2. If you get a price on your move without anyone looking at your household goods, RUN.
3. If the movers want money up front, RUN.
4. If they want cash, RUN.
5. You have a 3 day cancelation period. If they want a percentage to cancel- you're better off canceling.

They are so nice on the phone, it's disgusting. I hope that I can save someone money and anxiety. Moving is stressful enough. America First is America's worst.

"The Positive Reviews are Fake: Stay Away"

Do not hire this company. The positive reviews are fake. Look at them closely. All of the accounts are based in Latin America, which makes no sense for a moving company in the United States. Some of the images are also stock photos.

Michael Geraud, who is the manager of America First Moving, is also the manager of Homesafe Transit. Both are predatory companies. Homesafe is under investigation by the Florida Attorney General's office and has been featured in a WPTV news story highlighting its misdeeds. Geraud was also sentenced to 5 years in prison in 2010 for defrauding people who he tricked into investing in a bogus oil drilling company.

If you hire America First, in the absolute best case scenario, they will extort you for much more than your quote and you'll get your things very late. More likely, much of your stuff will go missing in transit, and in some cases, you might lose everything. I have interacted with perhaps over 100 people who have gone through this. Save yourself the trouble.

A Facebook group has even been created for people who have had bad experiences, it's called "Justice for Homesafe Transit Customers."

"Dishonest or Misinformed"

I hired America First Moving for a move from Austin, TX to Tempe, AZ. They are a broker and not the actual movers who were hired for my move. I want to preface by saying the people at America First were kind; however, I was given wrong information for many important details of my move. First, the gentleman who booked my move, Tommy, said that my belongings would be delivered in 3-5 days. He said my things would be on the road the next day after pick up and that I could give my preferred dates for delivery to the movers. I gave a window of dates that I would be available to receive the delivery of my things to the movers. I then started my drive to Tempe a day early to ensure I'd be at my new place when the movers arrive. The delivery took TWO WEEKS.

I called America First Moving when I learned that my delivery date would be two weeks from the actual movers and shared my concerns with someone named Anna. She was very receptive, noted everything, said she would deliver the feedback, and advocate for me. I also gave her my new availability for receiving delivery since my things were coming later than expected. When a QA person from the actual moving company, Panther Moving and Storage called me, she didn't have any knowledge of my new availability.

Second, I wanted full valuation insurance for my belongings. I asked Tommy about it several times and wanted documentation of it. Tommy said that I could initial for the option of full value insurance when the movers arrived. When the movers arrived, I said that I wanted to sign for full value coverage and the lead of the moving team said that I missed that opportunity and had to initial for it when I booked the move. Tommy said that if I had any issues during my move, I could call him. I called and texted and never got a response. I called America First Moving and spoke with a representative who told me something completely different than what Tommy initially told me.

Another inaccuracy is that Tommy said my things would be picked up in a 26' truck. A long trailer truck came to pick up my things instead. This impacted me when my things arrived from a different moving company that delivered my things in a 42' trailer. Because of the length, the movers couldn't drive closer to my unit and I had to pay a fee because their truck was parked more than 75' away. I wasn't told about this fee until the day of my delivery.

Originally I was quoted $3500 for my move. I spoke with America First's QA person the day before pick up at Austin to go over inventory and the number of boxes that I had. My total ended up being $6200. This was way more than I was anticipating and I understand that initial estimates of boxes on the mover's end (mine) can initially be low. My box count actually was only off by four boxes, however I had more larger boxes than expected. Had I gone with a moving company that did virtual or in-person walkthroughs, I believe my quote would have been accurate. I got a quote from Mayflower that was $300 cheaper with an accurate delivery time and full valuation insurance. I should have gone with them.

"Scam artist"

2,160 dollars for a deposit, they never showed up to move our stuff. Still trying to recover our deposit. Save yourself time, money, frustration, and heartache. Rent a truck yourself and hire local labor to load it for you. That's what we ended up having to do in the end anyway, I just wish it didn't cost 2,160 dollars to find out.

"America First moving: scam company"

America first moving is a broker who does nothing other than give you a false binding estimate then pass you on to another real moving company.

When you bring up the massive difference between the quoted price and what is required at pickup they will lie, deflect and ignore you. This company does not provide any service that is worth your money. This company clearly pays for fake reviews to give them a five star rating. Nearly every real review is negative. Stay far away from these people

Edit: Their claims in the reply are false. They never gave me the discount they claim.

After getting off the phone with them they deflected and lied about this discount and told me they will not be working with me to solve this issue because I wrote this review and charged back my card for their overcharging

"Do not use!"

I was severely misquoted about pricing and time frames. They outsourced to a terrible company that charged me thousands of dollars extra. I was called a derogatory name by the movers. I have broken items and things I had to leave behind. America First told me that it wasn’t their fault because it was the movers not them. All I got in return was an apology.

"Better off moving yourself"

Better off moving yourself. They promise you everything and quickly take your money. Then they hire low quality moving companies. The price increases 100%. The furniture gets never gets delivered on time or in my case never gets delivered. A very low quality company.

"Crooks"

Had a horrible experience with this company. They basically act as a third party to coordinate your move with a local moving company.

The initial conversation with them was very positive and they quoted us a price only slightly above what it would cost for us to move ourselves with a u-haul. After we paid the deposit, the customer service basically went out the window. They had zero communication with the local moving company and couldn’t answer any basic questions regarding our move.

When the movers arrived, the price went up almost $2000.00 from what was quoted. As I spoke to the local guys, the told me that this was a problem they ran into everyday and that third parties like America First basically just try to sell your contract as quickly as possible and then stop providing service.

It’s the local companies that determine the price not America first. We felt duped and essentially paid double the amount we would have paid otherwise.

Buyer beware

"AVOID!!"

AVOID!!! Do not use this company. I specifically asked for packing services, for my glassware and books, was told "sure we do that, you don't have to lift a finger". When the foreman of the team got a hold of me to verify, he said that packing was news to him, gave me attitude up the yin-yang. I called and cancelled, as well as emailed who I was told to email, and said I had a different company lined up. America First called me and asked how much I would be spending on this other company and I told them it wasn't their business. They are gaslighting me, asking me if I'm sure I didn't ask about packing from a different company. I asked all the companies I talked to about packing. America First, even after my cancel email and phone call, still sent a team on the day of the move, which I denied access. Now they are gaslighting me that they sent 2 teams to my door to do the move and I refused service. I just want my $752 back. But because of the timetables (too late after set-up, too close to move day) it is unlikely I will get a cent back. They are also saying I never sent the email. "Hypothetically, if you sent it..." Apparently I didn't send it to the correct email address, but I did send it to whom I was told. AVOID!!! Do not use!

"Awesome until they get your $, then they don't give a..."

This review will not be removed until the safe delivery of my possessions and reimbursement of all damages by American 1st Moving and AMB have been completed.

*FYI that they just had my review removed from mymoving.com and other mover-owned review sites! Literally like the mafia!

DO NOT RECOMMEND! American Van Lines (American Van Lines of SF LLC) changed their name to America First Moving, probably due to bad Yelp & Google reviews. I made the mistake of using them based on 5-star Google Reviews (probably not all legit). Check their real Yelp reviews: American Van Lines of SF (pompano beach)...

They got their $$$ and then dumped me to AMB, a company that is listed on fmcsa.dot.gov as "out of service" due to refusal for audit...

All kinds of mismanagement and miscommunication on America First’s end with AMB. They really don’t care who they send your stuff with because they just want to collect their thousands.

All other “brokers” who get paid 50% upfront still manage the move for you… with America 1st, I have had to communicate with ten people within their company and AMB.

Provided an extremely detailed Googledoc with boxes measured and additional just in case to Jason for the quote. He mentioned he showed everyone in the office because it was so detailed. I had him verify several times on delivery windows by July 8/9th, which is why I signed the contract with America 1st. Only now am I told that AMB, who had to reroute and come three days later, that my original delivery window no longer applies.

None of my other cross-country moves have ever dumped move tracking and communications onto me as well as lied about delivery windows.

Accommodated Jim to not have to do QA on Father’s Day, but then he didn’t have time that Monday but said my Googledoc and texted photos were sufficient. He was aware of the floor mirror and small side table and console were metal frame (2 mirror top and 2 glass pieces). Never was I told that I'd have to pay more out of pocket by him or Jason. I had to clarify that I sent him photos from another movers quote platform so he could gauge how my texted photos of my furniture were actually smaller, and lighter. He had the actual dimensions and links in the Googledoc though. That said, I had to end up paying additional out of pocket for wrapping of my furniture, with my own materials! America 1st and AMB need to figure out who failed in not bringing tools and materials to wrap my furniture. I didn’t have any changes to the furniture except that I removed/left behind a glass console. My standing desk was damaged because of an attempt to yank off a leg without removing all of the screws…

AMB said they didn’t know that have the materials for these furniture pieces… Does America 1st follow up with AMB to ensure pickups run smoothly? They didn’t for me. I actually didn’t know AMB was the “carrier” until Jim told me on the phone as well as from the two women who called me from AMB to confirm incorrect move dates and then move delays. Frustrating when both America 1st and AMB are surprised that I’m upset when everything has been so disorganized.

Jim B provided me "John Snow’s" number, but the dude never called back. He had a completely rude customer service woman who didn’t even identify who she was and then refused when I mentioned that Jason, Jim, and John had information she could get. So I explained and then she complained that she "already spent 25 minutes on the phone with me and can’t spend this much time with one customer." She told me that AMB has 21 days from my earliest delivery availability date, which is not what Jason verified with on the phone. Verbal and email verifications are the same as contracts. As I understand, it should be from the pickup date, and they and AMB messed up the pickup dates… She says they need to listen to the call recording. Why be condescending when I’ve just explained that the move has already been disorganized and a huge inconvenience for me to have to manage?

I am hoping that they will put their best foot forward to ensure that the rest of my move and the claims process is a smooth one....