Moving Company Scams

Avoid Moving Company Scams

Consider this scenario:

You accepted a job offer in another state. You must move all your possessions and household goods and can’t do it alone. You search the Internet for “moving companies” and find a company that provides online estimates and promises to make your moving experience both inexpensive and pleasurable.

The Moving Company Supplies You With An Estimate

The bait

The estimate you receive is too hard to pass up. You contact the company, agree on what sounds like a fantastic price, and schedule a date for packing and the move.

The switch

At the consumer’s home before the move.

After your goods have been packed and loaded onto the truck, the foreman may inform you that your belongings took up more space in the truck than initially expected. Or that the packing material and labor were more than they had expected. They inform you that the move will cost you more than the company initially estimated.

The Consumer is Cornered

Pay now or much more later

Now that there is a dispute, the movers will require the moving fee to be paid upfront in cash, or they will not move your furniture to your new location.

Suppose you don’t agree to their new terms. In that case, they will inform you that according to their company policy, they will have to keep your furniture in storage at one of their warehouses and charge you for storage and a loading and reloading fee.

The nightmare gets worse

You don’t want to – but try to visualize this:

Your belongings and furniture get stored in some damp, dirty, cockroach-infested warehouse at an undisclosed location. This is where your belongings can get ransacked, damaged, and your valuables were stolen. If the movers are professional scammers, they will try to auction off your belongings or leave them abandoned in some field.

Imaginary scenario?

Nope, this kind of scam happens to thousands of people every year.

Thousands of Moving Fraud Victims Every Year

FBI Sting Operations

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the FBI investigated nearly twenty separate moving companies in one criminal sting operation several years ago.

The FBI used agents posing as potential customers obtaining moving estimates for their relocation. The investigation resulted in the indictment of 74 owners and moving company employees.

The indictments that were charged included: Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, Extortion, Money Laundering, and Bill of Lading Fraud.

The indictments led to dozens of criminal convictions and guilty pleas.

Beware of Low-Ball Estimates

These types of scams still exist, especially with small independent moving companies.

• Never Sign Blank Paperwork
• Resist getting rushed through the paperwork. It’s a setup that will likely result in the foreman requesting you to sign a blank or incomplete bill of lading and other documents so they can get on the road before it’s too late.
• Thoroughly Investigate Small Independent Movers

Make Sure Your Mover Is Properly Certified

Movers that are certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation have an identification number. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration keeps a list of all certified moving companies and includes current information on all of their registered movers, including:

• City and State of Movers Headquarters
• Contact Information of Movers
• Certification and Registration status of Movers
• Moving Company Status (broker, independent, freight forwarder, etc.)
• History of Customer Complaints

Protect Yourself And Your Belongings

Consumers can report unsafe and poorly performing moving companies by contacting FMCSA’ nationwide complaint hotline at 1-888-368-7238 or visiting their official website.

Contact A Consumer Rights Lawyer

If you have questions or require additional information about your specific legal rights, we recommend you contact and consult with an online Consumer Rights Lawyer about your specific issues.