Most moving scams work by getting control of something before the customer can push back. In a hostage load, that something is your furniture. In the big-deposit scam, it is your money. The company gets paid before any work is done, and often in a way you can't reverse. Then it either disappears or hands the job to someone else.
How the scheme works, step by step
- 1. A cheap quote, without looking at your things. FMCSA's description of rogue movers starts here: without ever visiting your home or seeing the goods you want moved, they give a low estimate.
- 2. A big payment up front. The company asks for a large share of the price before moving day. It often wants cash, a payment app, a cashier's check or a wire, not a credit card. Arizona's attorney general points out that using a credit card provides some protection if there is a dispute.
- 3. The no-show or the swap. Arizona's attorney general describes the no-show version this way: consumers receive a quote and pay a deposit, but the movers never show up. In the swap version, a different company arrives and sometimes asks for more money.
Recent cases
Idaho, 2026. A local moving company owner faces a felony grand theft charge after allegedly accepting over $13,000 to move a family's belongings to California and failing to perform the job. According to court documents, the customer paid a total of $13,875 for the service, including a $1,500 deposit via Venmo and a $12,375 cashier's check. The affidavit says the movers never arrived. The owner told an investigator he was hospitalized during the scheduled move date. A criminal charge is an accusation, not a conviction.
Florida. The state attorney general sued a group of moving brokers that included Gold Standard Moving and Storage. The office said the defendants have operated Gold Standard Enterprise as a common brokerage, using deceptive marketing to get big deposits. The complaint said that after consumers paid large upfront fees required by the company, third-party movers were employed instead of the professionals promised. The companies used many names, constantly changing names to dodge bad reviews. In March 2025, the attorney general's office announced the resolution of ongoing litigation against the group.
Warning signs
- FMCSA lists it as a red flag when the moving company requires cash or a large deposit before the move.
- The company asks for payment in cryptocurrency or wants the full price before the move. Arizona's attorney general warns about both: beware of movers requiring a large up-front deposit, cash, payment by cryptocurrency or full payment beforehand.
- The company gives you no written estimate, or the mover is not registered online with the Federal government or insured.
- The company has used several names, or the company you paid isn't the one that shows up.
- Nobody gives you a written cancellation and refund policy.
What the law says
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) administers commercial regulations governing the interstate transportation of household goods. These federal rules don't stop companies from taking deposits. What they do is require clear terms in writing.
- Deposit and refund policies: Under 49 CFR 371.117, a household goods broker must disclose prominently on your Internet website and in your agreements with prospective shippers your cancellation policy, deposit policy, and policy for refunding deposited funds.
- Written estimates: Under 49 CFR 371.113, a broker's estimate must be in writing and must be based on a physical survey of the household goods. The customer can waive the survey in writing.
- A cap on delivery charges: FMCSA says movers are required by law to deliver your goods for no more than ten percent above the price of a non-binding estimate. This is known as the 110 percent rule.
Federal enforcement does happen. FMCSA says its 2023 moving-fraud operations resulted in the discovery of more than 1000 violations of FMCSA regulations. It also says the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil penalty enforcement case resulting from the 2023 operation. That case is pending in federal court in California.
If it happens to you
This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, contact FMCSA and your state attorney general.
- Ask for your money back in writing. FMCSA says you should file a complaint directly with the mover before doing so with FMCSA.
- Report it to FMCSA at protectyourmove.gov or 1-888-368-7238. The agency says your report could become part of a Federal investigation against the company.
- Contact your state attorney general. FMCSA says state attorneys general and consumer affairs agencies are responsible for pursuing suspected moving fraud.
- File a police report if the company took your money and vanished. In the Idaho case, the customer gave police text message screenshots, a copy of the Venmo receipt, and a copy of the cashier's check as evidence.
- Call your card issuer or bank right away about a dispute.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Look up the company's USDOT number on the free mover lookup at movepricer.com/check, or with FMCSA at fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move/search-mover.
- Ask whether the company is the mover or a broker, and which company will actually do the move.
- Get a written estimate and a written deposit and refund policy before you pay anything.
- Pay a small deposit by credit card. Don't pay a large amount in cash, crypto or by wire.
- Save every text, receipt and contract.