The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission said its Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services (CADRS) has recently received an increased number of inquiries and consumer complaints involving unlicensed ocean transportation intermediaries hired to ship household goods and personal effects to Brazil.
It said such complaints include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to deliver goods after payment is made by the consumer.
- Failure to process customs paperwork leading to lost shipments.
- Improperly processing customs paperwork leading to additional charges.
- Other delays resulting in charges that exceed the value of the cargo.
The FMC urged consumers to use only FMC licensed companies to ship their goods internationally, unless the destination is Canada or Mexico via truck or rail, or unless the shipment is by air freight. It said consumers can confirm a company’s licensing status by contacting the commission’s Office of Transportation Intermediaries at (202) 523-5843 or CADRS at (202) 523-5807. –
Chris Dupin
