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Complaint Handling. Moving Fraud Meeting November 14, 2012. Household Goods Team Mission. Our mission is to protect the consumer from rogue carriers, moving fraud, and provide consumer protection and awareness. Question. What is the driving force behind the Household Goods Team?. Answer.
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Complaint Handling Moving Fraud Meeting November 14, 2012
Household Goods Team Mission Our mission is to protect the consumer from rogue carriers, moving fraud, and provide consumer protection and awareness.
Question What is the driving force behind the Household Goods Team?
Answer Complaints
Importance of Complaints • Complaints drive the allocation of resources to handle household goods (HHG) complaints. • Complaints are important to meeting the mission of the HHG Team in consumer protection. • Complaints drive the types of HHG policies and consumer advisory notices.
National Consumer Complaint Database The National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB) serves as the central depository for all complaints received by FMCSA.
Complaint Policy Complaints must be entered into the NCCDB before they are assigned for review.
Question Where do you go to enter a HHG Complaint?
Answer Visit: www.protectyourmove.gov Call the NCCDB Hotline (888)368-7238
Complaint Statistics HHG Complaints Hostage Loads FY 2012 – 403 FY 2011 - 613 • FY 2012 – 2,551 • FY 2011 – 2,392
Validation of Complaints Complaints are reviewed by the NCCDB Service Representative to ensure they are valid. A valid complaint must have – • Completed complaint form • Reason codes selected • A comment
Next Steps Once a complaint has been validated the following steps are taken. • An acknowledgement letter is sent to the complainant. • If the complainant approves, a notification letter is sent to the carrier.
Hostage Load • If the complaint is a hostage load, it will be given priority. • Hostage loads are immediately assigned to a Transportation Specialist on the HHG Team for review.
Hostage Load Definition A household goods shipment that is moving under a non-binding estimate or binding estimate where the carrier refuses to relinquish the shipment, although the customer has tendered or offered to tender the required payment. The required payment is 110% of a non-binding estimate or 100% of a binding estimate along with additional charges for impracticable operations (i.e. stairs and shuttle).
Shipper Review Process The shipper review includes the following: • Contacting the shipper by phone or email. • Review of the shipper documents. • Obtain an oral interview statement.
Carrier Review Process The carrier review includes: • Contacting the carrier by phone or email. • Review of the carrier’s shipper file. • Review of carrier’s record with FMCSA.
Carrier Review Continued • Information gathered from various resources, i.e. website of the carrier. • Complaint history in the NCCDB. • Obtain oral statement from the carrier. • Drafting an email analysis of the complaint to the carrier for response.
Carrier Review Continued • In hostage load disputes, the Transportation Specialist urges the carrier to comply with the regulations and statues. • The Transportation Specialist makes every effort to assist the consumer to resolve the dispute with the carrier.
Carrier Review Continued • The review process may resolve the complaint. • If not, and violations are discovered, the Transportation Specialist packages the complaint to be sent to the Division Office for action.
Review Process Continued • The Division Office will assign the complaint to a Commercial Enforcement Specialist or a HHG trained Safety Investigator. • They will review the package prepared by the HHG Transportation Specialist and follow up.
Review Process Continued • A compliance review on the shipper’s complaint may be initiated by the Division Office to determine if the carrier has violated Federal regulations or statues. • A compliance review may also be initiated on a carrier having a high number of complaints in NCCDB.
Violations • If violations are discovered during the compliance review, FMCSA may take enforcement action. • Enforcement actions include the assessment of fines and penalties.
Violations Continued • FMCSA also has the authority to suspend a carrier’s operating authority under the Federal statues: • 49 U.S.C. 14915 for holding shipments hostage. • 49 U.S.C. 13905 for non-compliance of Federal regulations and statues.
Question How can States assist in combating moving fraud?
Answer Sign up for a State Partnership Program
State Partnership Programs Two State Partnership Programs: • Enforcement Partner • Contributing Partner
Enforcement Partner • Must sign a Memorandum of Agreement. • Authority to enforce Federal regulations and statues. • Trained on program implementation and enforcement software.
Enforcement Partner Continued • Retains fines and penalties assessed to the carrier. • Access to all complaints and intelligence information in the NCCDB. • Participates in joint investigations and task forces targeting specific carriers.
Contributing Partner • Provided access to the NCCDB. • Enter complaints in the NCCDB. • Research complaints from their State only in the NCCDB.
Contact Information Monique Riddick Transportation Specialist Household Goods Team (202) 385-2414 Monique.riddick@dot.gov
