150:
movers were no longer competing on services but on price. As competition drove prices lower and decreased what were already slim profit margins, "rogue" movers began hijacking personal property as part of a new scam. The
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces Federal customer protection regulations related to the interstate shipment of household goods (i.e., household moves that cross State lines). FMCSA has held this responsibility since 1999, and the Department of Transportation has held this responsibility since 1995 (the Interstate Commerce Commission held this authority prior to its termination in 1995).
25:
184:. Only a small staff (fewer than 20 people) is available to patrol hundreds of moving companies, making enforcement difficult. Furthermore, in the United States, there are in most cases no regulations that clearly qualify moving companies as "reliable", and thus such scams are relatively common. Moving companies can provide and often display a Department of Transportation (DOT) license.
168:
discrepancies until the client's goods have been weighed at a certifiable scale, far from the client's original pickup location. The new price may be four or five times higher than the original estimate. The scam movers know that most people will be forced to pay these exorbitant rates based on their need for the personal effects.
191:
There are some US federal laws which govern moving cost estimates. For instance, in the case of out-of-state moves, movers must perform an in-person survey of a client's goods before giving an estimate unless a physical survey waiver agreement is signed; furthermore, this estimate must be in writing.
162:
Once the moving company has secured a move by providing a non-binding or binding estimate, they arrive to pack and deliver the goods and the foreman, a trained loading professional performs a visual estimate. Often the scam movers use deceptive pricing or weight (which is not based on actual weight,
149:
in the United States was deregulated with the
Household Goods Transportation Act of 1980. This act allowed interstate movers to issue binding or fixed estimates for the first time. Doing so allowed hundreds of new moving companies to begin operations. This led to an increase in competition and soon
187:
Moving companies that operate within the borders of a particular state are usually regulated by the state department of transportation or the public utilities commission or another in that state. This applies to some of the US states like in
California (California Public Utilities Commission) and
158:
There are many versions to the moving scam, but the basic scam begins with a prospective client contacting a purported licensed moving company and requesting a cost estimate. In today's market this often happens online via moving company marketing websites. These moving companies can be prone to
167:
of the moving vehicle. After packing and loading, the client is informed that their goods went over the expected weight estimate and the additional weight will be charged at a substantially higher rate (often double the original price per pound). Rogue movers will not inform a client of these
159:
quoting sometimes too low, but usually reasonable prices with no room for the movers to provide a gratuity incentive to provide quality service without upselling packing services.
192:
In addition, estimates can be either binding (a set fee, regardless of weight), binding not-to-exceed (based on weight but with a maximum fee), or non-binding (based on weight).
206:
451:
1202:
133:
in which the company provides an estimate, loads the goods, then states a much higher price to deliver the goods, effectively holding the goods as
369:
319:
177:
181:
444:
1215:
201:
437:
89:
1091:
61:
108:
68:
1220:
1156:
1081:
1258:
660:
240:
46:
1101:
896:
510:
345:"49 CFR Part 375 - TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE; CONSUMER PROTECTION REGULATIONS"
75:
301:
785:
600:
42:
650:
57:
1248:
1146:
1136:
1106:
861:
745:
396:
1197:
1176:
1121:
615:
1171:
976:
765:
279:
264:
1253:
1141:
996:
825:
227:"Jimmy Carter: Household Goolds Transportation Act of 1980 Statement on Signing S. 1798 Into Law"
35:
1071:
835:
800:
775:
655:
620:
555:
323:
1227:
1038:
635:
625:
1111:
931:
921:
790:
8:
1192:
866:
840:
805:
730:
665:
590:
82:
226:
1166:
1061:
1001:
580:
575:
1207:
916:
815:
680:
1066:
1028:
956:
891:
820:
810:
770:
700:
640:
540:
525:
520:
515:
344:
1126:
1096:
1023:
1006:
871:
675:
535:
130:
1048:
1033:
850:
755:
735:
670:
146:
429:
1242:
1161:
1131:
961:
760:
725:
710:
565:
545:
477:
1151:
1116:
1053:
991:
986:
971:
941:
886:
830:
740:
690:
585:
550:
164:
1076:
1018:
936:
926:
906:
881:
795:
720:
715:
705:
605:
530:
492:
218:
1013:
966:
911:
901:
876:
750:
685:
610:
570:
560:
595:
294:
163:
figure of cubic footage) measurements including prices based on the
24:
981:
951:
780:
645:
630:
487:
423:
312:
305:
257:
1086:
946:
176:
The interstate moving business in
America is regulated by the
482:
472:
426:- a US government Web site on interstate moving regulations
134:
126:
370:"49 CFR 375.403 - How must I provide a binding estimate?"
304:. California Public Utilities Commission. Archived from
265:"Background: The Regulation of Household Goods Movers"
207:
List of national and international moving associations
322:. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Archived from
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1240:
459:
445:
282:. Christos & Christos Moving and Storage
229:. US Santa Barbara University of California.
188:Texas (Texas Department of Motor Vehicles).
178:Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
1203:Criminal enterprises, gangs and syndicates
452:
438:
182:United States Department of Transportation
397:"How to Avoid Long Distance Moving Scams"
280:"How to Avoid Unreliable Moving Services"
202:American Moving & Storage Association
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
224:
1241:
433:
394:
241:"Regulations and Enforcement | FMCSA"
1102:High-yield investment program (HYIP)
277:
267:. U.S. Department of Transportation.
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
1092:Foundation for New Era Philanthropy
13:
14:
1270:
417:
349:LII / Legal Information Institute
395:Stamm, Brent (27 October 2016).
23:
1157:Saradha Group financial scandal
34:needs additional citations for
388:
362:
337:
271:
233:
1:
511:1992 Indian stock market scam
212:
171:
786:Strip search phone call scam
601:Extraterrestrial real estate
278:Cote, Louis (16 July 2014).
7:
661:Intellectual property scams
651:Indian coal allocation scam
460:Scams and confidence tricks
401:Great Guys Moving Companies
195:
10:
1275:
1147:Pyramid schemes in Albania
1107:Investors Overseas Service
1039:Website reputation ratings
140:
1185:
1177:Welsh Thrasher faith scam
1122:Madoff investment scandal
1047:
849:
616:Foreclosure rescue scheme
501:
465:
302:"Hiring a Moving Company"
1172:Stanford Financial Group
977:Russian Business Network
766:Slavery reparations scam
1142:Petters Group Worldwide
153:
836:White van speaker scam
801:Technical support scam
776:SSA impersonation scam
731:Redemption/A4V schemes
656:IRS impersonation scam
621:Foreign exchange fraud
1259:Moving and relocation
636:Get-rich-quick scheme
626:Fortune telling fraud
180:(FMCSA), part of the
1112:Kapa investment scam
932:Internet vigilantism
922:Email authentication
897:Cryptocurrency scams
791:Swampland in Florida
43:improve this article
1216:Film and television
937:Lenny anti-scam bot
841:Work-at-home scheme
806:Telemarketing fraud
666:Kansas City Shuffle
591:Embarrassing cheque
1167:Scott W. Rothstein
1062:Aman Futures Group
581:Coin rolling scams
576:Coin-matching game
1249:Confidence tricks
1236:
1235:
1198:Confidence tricks
917:Domain name scams
816:Thai zig zag scam
681:Miracle cars scam
504:confidence tricks
502:Notable scams and
424:Protect Your Move
320:"Moving in Texas"
245:www.fmcsa.dot.gov
119:
118:
111:
93:
1266:
1067:Bernard Cornfeld
1029:Stock Generation
957:Referer spoofing
821:Three-card monte
811:Thai tailor scam
771:Spanish Prisoner
701:Overpayment scam
641:Green goods scam
541:Black money scam
526:Art student scam
521:Advance-fee scam
516:2G spectrum case
454:
447:
440:
431:
430:
412:
411:
409:
407:
392:
386:
385:
383:
381:
366:
360:
359:
357:
355:
341:
335:
334:
332:
331:
316:
310:
309:
298:
292:
291:
289:
287:
275:
269:
268:
261:
255:
254:
252:
251:
237:
231:
230:
222:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
1274:
1273:
1269:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1263:
1239:
1238:
1237:
1232:
1181:
1127:Make Money Fast
1097:Franchise fraud
1052:
1043:
1024:Spoofing attack
1007:Scammer Payback
855:countermeasures
854:
845:
536:Bait-and-switch
503:
497:
461:
458:
420:
415:
405:
403:
393:
389:
379:
377:
368:
367:
363:
353:
351:
343:
342:
338:
329:
327:
318:
317:
313:
300:
299:
295:
285:
283:
276:
272:
263:
262:
258:
249:
247:
239:
238:
234:
223:
219:
215:
198:
174:
156:
147:moving business
143:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1272:
1262:
1261:
1256:
1254:Consumer fraud
1251:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1230:
1225:
1224:
1223:
1218:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1189:
1187:
1183:
1182:
1180:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1058:
1056:
1045:
1044:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1034:Voice phishing
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1010:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
867:Pig Butchering
864:
858:
856:
851:Internet scams
847:
846:
844:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
756:Sick baby hoax
753:
748:
743:
738:
736:Reloading scam
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
673:
671:Locksmith scam
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
643:
638:
633:
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
603:
598:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
568:
563:
558:
553:
548:
543:
538:
533:
528:
523:
518:
513:
507:
505:
499:
498:
496:
495:
490:
485:
480:
475:
469:
467:
463:
462:
457:
456:
449:
442:
434:
428:
427:
419:
418:External links
416:
414:
413:
387:
361:
336:
311:
308:on 2012-12-26.
293:
270:
256:
232:
225:Jimmy Carter.
216:
214:
211:
210:
209:
204:
197:
194:
173:
170:
155:
152:
142:
139:
131:moving company
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1271:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1246:
1244:
1229:
1228:Ponzi schemes
1226:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1213:
1212:In the media
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1190:
1188:
1184:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1162:Secret Sister
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1132:Matrix scheme
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1059:
1057:
1055:
1054:Ponzi schemes
1050:
1046:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
989:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
962:Ripoff Report
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
859:
857:
852:
848:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
761:SIM swap scam
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
726:Pump and dump
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
711:Pig in a poke
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
566:Charity fraud
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
547:
546:Blessing scam
544:
542:
539:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
508:
506:
500:
494:
491:
489:
486:
484:
481:
479:
478:Error account
476:
474:
471:
470:
468:
464:
455:
450:
448:
443:
441:
436:
435:
432:
425:
422:
421:
402:
398:
391:
375:
371:
365:
350:
346:
340:
326:on 2012-12-04
325:
321:
315:
307:
303:
297:
281:
274:
266:
260:
246:
242:
236:
228:
221:
217:
208:
205:
203:
200:
199:
193:
189:
185:
183:
179:
169:
166:
160:
151:
148:
138:
136:
132:
128:
124:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
58:"Moving scam"
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1152:Reed Slatkin
1117:Kubus scheme
997:Jim Browning
992:419eater.com
987:Scam baiting
972:Romance scam
942:Lottery scam
887:Clickjacking
831:Wash trading
826:Trojan horse
741:Return fraud
695:
691:Mock auction
586:Drop swindle
551:Bogus escrow
404:. Retrieved
400:
390:
378:. Retrieved
373:
364:
352:. Retrieved
348:
339:
328:. Retrieved
324:the original
314:
306:the original
296:
284:. Retrieved
273:
259:
248:. Retrieved
244:
235:
220:
190:
186:
175:
165:gross weight
161:
157:
144:
122:
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1193:Con artists
1077:Dona Branca
1019:Spoofed URL
927:Email fraud
907:CyberThrill
882:Click fraud
796:Tarmac scam
721:Pork barrel
716:Pigeon drop
706:Patent safe
696:Moving scam
606:Fiddle game
556:Boiler room
531:Badger game
493:Sucker list
466:Terminology
406:15 December
380:15 December
374:www.gpo.gov
354:15 December
123:moving scam
99:August 2014
16:Scam tactic
1243:Categories
1221:Literature
1082:Earl Jones
1014:ShadowCrew
967:Rock Phish
912:DarkMarket
902:Cybercrime
877:Catfishing
751:Shell game
686:Mismarking
611:Fine print
571:Clip joint
561:Bride scam
330:2012-12-13
250:2021-03-03
213:References
172:Regulation
69:newspapers
1208:Impostors
862:Avalanche
676:Long firm
596:Exit scam
286:27 August
982:SaferNet
952:Phishing
892:Cramming
781:SSC Scam
646:Hustling
631:Gem scam
196:See also
1072:Caritas
1049:Pyramid
1002:Kitboga
872:Carding
746:Salting
488:Shyster
141:History
83:scholar
1087:Ezubao
947:PayPai
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1186:Lists
483:Shill
376:. GPO
129:by a
125:is a
90:JSTOR
76:books
473:Scam
408:2016
382:2016
356:2016
288:2014
154:Scam
145:The
135:lien
127:scam
62:news
1137:MMM
1051:and
853:and
45:by
1245::
399:.
372:.
347:.
243:.
137:.
121:A
453:e
446:t
439:v
410:.
384:.
358:.
333:.
290:.
253:.
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
