Auto Transport Broker Refuses to Refund You: The Full Escalation Path

You cancelled. You're entitled to a refund under the contract. The broker is refusing, ignoring you, or offering partial payment and hoping you'll accept. Here is the complete escalation path — ordered by what works fastest — to get your money back.

First: know your legal position

Your right to a refund depends on three things: what your contract says, whether the broker performed services before cancellation, and whether the cancellation was due to broker failure.

• Contract says refundable, broker refusing: This is breach of contract. Every remedy below applies.
• Contract says non-refundable, but broker failed to perform: Non-refundable clauses don't protect a broker who didn't deliver services. If they never found a carrier, you're entitled to a refund regardless of the clause.
• Contract says non-refundable, broker did dispatch a carrier: Your options are narrower. Focus on the FMCSA complaint and state AG — the refund clause may or may not hold up depending on circumstances.
• No written contract: Absence of a contract does not mean no rights. The broker still cannot keep money for unrendered services.

The escalation path — start at the top

1. Credit card chargeback (fastest, most effective)

If you paid by credit card, file a chargeback before anything else. Call your card issuer and say "I want to dispute a charge for services not rendered" or "breach of contract." Under the Fair Credit Billing Act you have 60–120 days from the statement date. Your card issuer will provisionally return the funds while investigating.

Provide: your booking confirmation showing the cancellation terms, evidence you cancelled within the refundable window, and documentation that the broker refused to refund.

2. Formal written demand letter

Send a certified letter and email stating the exact refund amount owed, the legal basis (contract breach or unrendered services), a 7-business-day deadline, and that you will pursue a chargeback, FMCSA complaint, state AG complaint, and small claims court if not resolved. Many brokers respond to this alone — the combined threat of regulatory action and a chargeback is often enough.

3. FMCSA complaint

File at fmcsa.dot.gov. A broker who refuses contractually required refunds is violating their FMCSA operating authority obligations. The complaint goes into a permanent public record and may trigger an investigation. Enough complaints can result in the broker's authority being revoked.

4. State Attorney General

File at your state AG's consumer protection division. State AGs can issue cease-and-desist orders and fines. They sometimes contact the company directly on your behalf — this alone often produces a refund. File in your state AND the state where the broker is registered for maximum pressure.

5. BBB complaint

Not because the BBB has enforcement power — it doesn't — but because many brokers respond quickly to avoid a BBB complaint damaging their rating. File the complaint and make it detailed. Some brokers will refund to have the complaint removed.

6. Small claims court

File in the county where the contract was signed or where the company is registered. Filing fee is typically $30–$75. Bring your contract, payment proof, cancellation evidence, your demand letter, and documentation of the broker's refusal. Judges are generally not sympathetic to companies that keep deposits for unrendered services.

Document your refund request trail

Every step you take should be documented in writing. The combination of a chargeback dispute, an FMCSA complaint number, and a small claims filing date creates enough legal pressure that most brokers — even bad actors — will settle rather than fight all three simultaneously.

One thing to avoid

Do not agree to a partial refund in exchange for signing a release that waives your right to further claims or to leave reviews. Once you sign a release, your legal options close. Accept partial payment only if you're satisfied it's fair and you explicitly do not sign any waiver.