Moving Company Scams On Rise, Says Florida Attorney General

FLORIDA — Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians of an increase in moving scams as home sales skyrocket in Florida.

According to Florida Realtors, closed sales of single-family homes statewide in June totaled 34,165, up 23.6 percent from June 2020, resulting in a 14-year high in overall sales throughout the country.

With an increase in home sales comes more demand for movers, and Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert to help consumers avoid moving-related scams.

“Florida is red hot. Our low taxes, growing economy, common-sense leadership and great weather has people from all over rushing to move here," she said. "Couple all that with a booming real estate market and the potential for scams increases."

If you are a Floridian buying a new house or moving to Florida from out of state, be wary of moving scams.

Moving companies refusing to provide a written estimate or requiring a large, upfront deposit or payment in cash are all red flags that consumers can look for to help them identify a potential moving scam and avoid falling prey.

Common moving scams involve movers packing up and transporting household goods and then refusing to release them until the consumer pays an additional high fee.

Another scheme used by fraudsters is giving a low-ball offer to secure a moving job but then increasing the rate significantly upon arrival and threatening to avoid doing the job unless paid up front.

To guard against these and other moving scams, consumers should:

• Never sign any blank or incomplete documents or contracts;
• Obtain moving estimates and quotes from the company in writing and make sure the estimates are binding;
• Determine whether the movers will perform the move alone or if the company will be subcontracting with another carrier; and
• Beware if movers show up in rental trucks without uniformed personnel.

More helpful tips and red flags regarding moving scams can be found in the attorney general's Scams at a Glance: On the Move brochure.

Interstate moving scams can be reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Intrastate moving scams can be reported to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at MyFloridaLegal.com.