Every interstate mover has a federal record that builds up over time: its operating authority, its insurance, and the complaints customers file against it. A chameleon or reincarnated mover is a company that tries to wipe that record clean by closing down and starting again under a new identity. In FMCSA's words, "A chameleon carrier reincarnates to separate itself from negative past behavior, including FMCSA and/or state imposed citations or fines". The word comes from trucking, but FMCSA's vetting process to catch these applicants covers charter bus companies, commercial moving companies and commercial trucks.
How it works, step by step
- The lowball quote. In one federal racketeering case, the companies allegedly provided low binding estimates and promised to beat their competitors' prices.
- The price jump. After loading customers' goods onto the truck, they increased the price of the move, holding the goods hostage until customers paid the inflated prices. Some customer loads were not delivered at all.
- Complaints pile up. According to prosecutors, the scammed customers would file complaints, and officials would end up pulling the companies' licenses.
- A new name and number. The group would stay a step ahead by forming new companies and applying for licenses under new names. The conspirators would hide the identities of the true owners in order to receive new licenses.
- A new online reputation. In a separate indictment, prosecutors alleged the defendants created a series of online profiles for moving companies, stealing the identities of legitimate companies to support their fake identities, and posted fake five-star reviews.
Real cases
A dozen companies, one group. Andrey Shuklin, along with 11 other people, were federally indicted in July 2018 for operating a criminal moving enterprise spanning 5 years and a dozen different companies. When the U.S. Department of Transportation would shut down one company, Shuklin and the enterprise would open another. He was sentenced to 78 months in prison for a scheme that defrauded more than a thousand customers of nearly $2.5 million.
Brooklyn, sentenced 2025. According to the DOT Inspector General, between at least January 2017 and August 2020, the defendants worked for multiple moving companies that operated under various names, including Great Moving USA, Green Movers, and New City Moves. On February 19, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York sentenced Kristy Mak to 2 years of incarceration. Prosecutors said the scheme wrongfully obtained more than $3 million from over 800 victims.
Florida, settled February 2026. DOT-OIG, in coordination with the Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, reached a civil settlement agreement with NYC Holdings, LLC (NYC), Navistar Van Lines, LLC (Navistar), and its owner, Zane Taranto. The complaint alleged that Taranto sold moving services through NYC, Navistar, and multiple other moving companies. The complete amount, including restitution, penalties, and attorney costs, totaled $1,834,058.
What the law says
Under 49 CFR 386.73, FMCSA can order a company out of service if it operated under a new identity to dodge an FMCSA order, a regulation, a civil penalty or an enforcement action, or to avoid being linked with a negative compliance history. The test is whether there is substantial continuity between the entities such that one is merely a continuation of the other. FMCSA can also merge the old and new companies' records into one.
49 CFR Part 385, Subpart L lets FMCSA treat companies as affiliates if business operations are under common ownership, common management, common control or common familial relationship. More broadly, FMCSA has the authority to review and revoke the licenses of movers and brokers. Cases involving potential criminal misconduct may be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice. The agency's new Motus registration system aims to tie registrations more closely to verified individuals and business entities so it can spot chameleon carriers earlier.
This is a general explainer, not legal advice. For your own situation, contact FMCSA and your state attorney general.
Warning signs
- FMCSA's red flags include not providing an in-home estimate, asking customers to sign incomplete documentation, and a company failing to register with FMCSA.
- A mover that requires an upfront, cash payment or large deposit prior to the move.
- A phone answered with a generic name like "Movers" instead of a company name, or a crew that shows up in a rental truck.
- Claims of a long history that don't fit the record. In the Pardi case, prosecutors said the defendants falsely claimed that the companies were "family owned," that they had been in business for over a decade. If a company says it has decades of experience but its federal authority is only months old, ask why.
- A brand name on the quote that doesn't match the legal name on the federal record.
If it happens to you
Keep every quote, contract, text, email and receipt, along with photos of the truck and crew. Report interstate movers to FMCSA by calling FMCSA's nationwide complaint hotline at 1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT) or through Protect Your Move. FMCSA says it will work directly with consumers to guide them through the process and help get their money and goods back. File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer-protection office too. The Florida settlement above came out of a state consumer-protection action. If your goods are being held, ask FMCSA or your attorney general about your options.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Get the mover's USDOT number in writing. If it won't give you one, don't hire it.
- Look the number up with MovePricer's free mover lookup at movepricer.com/check or on FMCSA's Protect Your Move site.
- Make sure the operating authority is active, check when it was granted, and confirm the legal name matches your contract.
- Read the complaint history, and ask the company directly whether it has ever operated under another name.