I Tried to Cancel Minutes After Paying, Allegiance Van Lines Still Took My Money and Told Me to Lawyer Up

I Accidentally Signed a Contract Designed to Rob Me

I never thought I’d be writing something like this. I’ve moved more times than I can count. I’m a veteran. I’ve dealt with stress, deadlines, logistics, and plenty of moving companies over the years. I know how this industry works, or at least I thought I did.

What happened with Allegiance Van Lines wasn’t just bad service. It was a calculated trap.

We were relocating from Middletown, Maryland, to San Antonio, Texas, a full household move, everything from a 3-bedroom house. Time wasn’t on our side. Like many people moving long distance, we were under pressure and needed something locked in quickly.

When I first spoke to their representative, he sounded confident.

“We’re not a broker,” he told me. “We handle everything directly. You won’t have to worry about delays.”

He walked me through a quote of $3,200, gave me what he called an “Agreement Number”, and sent over documents that looked official enough, terms, conditions, cancellation clauses buried in fine print, the usual stuff you don’t expect to become a weapon later.

But they insisted on wire transfer or PayPal, claiming it was “company policy.” At the time, we were desperate. I chose PayPal, thinking that at least I'd have some protection if things went sideways.

That assumption almost cost me everything.

Within minutes of sending the deposit, I reread the documents. The language was aggressive, one-sided, and vague. There was no guaranteed pickup window or guaranteed delivery date. Just phrases like “estimated,” “subject to availability,” and “industry standard timelines.”

I immediately contacted them and said, very clearly:

“I need to cancel this right now. No movers have been dispatched. No bill of lading has been issued. No pickup has been scheduled.”

This was minutes after payment.

That’s when the tone changed.

The friendly voice disappeared. Emails started coming in fast, sharp, and cold.

“Your deposit is non-refundable.”

“You signed a legally binding agreement.”

“We have the necessary paperwork to retain your funds.”

“Our legal team has reviewed this.”

Let me be clear: nothing had happened yet.

No truck assigned.

No carrier booked.

No pickup date confirmed.

No costs incurred on their end.

Yet they refused to even discuss a refund.

When I pushed back, explaining that no Bill of Lading existed and no services had begun, I was essentially told to go to hell.

“You’re free to consult an attorney,” one email said. “We have better lawyers.”

Those words are burned into my memory.

That’s when it finally made sense: this wasn’t a moving company. This was a broker operation designed to lock people into contracts and bleed deposits, regardless of whether a move ever happened.

I spent hours fighting, escalating, and documenting everything. By sheer luck, and only because of PayPal’s timing rules, I managed to reverse part of the wired amount. Even that was a nightmare.

And Allegiance? They didn’t budge an inch.

They just gave me legal threats and smug confidence.

This company isn’t disorganized. It’s designed this way. The contracts, the payment pressure, the refusal to refund, it’s all part of the grift.

If I hadn’t caught this early, my belongings could have been sitting in some unknown warehouse, held hostage while fees piled up daily.

I’m sharing this so no one else has to learn the hard way.

Don’t call them. Don’t start. Don’t assume experience will protect you.

Evidence Provided by the User

Note: No photos or videos were shared by the user. The story above is a real experience shared by the person who went through it and is published to warn others.

Warning to Other Customers

Do not pay any deposit before confirming whether the company is a broker or an actual carrier. Be extremely cautious of movers who demand wire transfers or PayPal, refuse credit cards, and hide behind non-refundable contracts. If a company won’t guarantee delivery dates, pressures you to pay immediately, or threatens legal action when you ask to cancel, walk away immediately.