Most moves happen in the same few weeks: summer, school breaks and the last days of the month, when leases end. Regulators time their warnings to match. Ahead of the busy summer moving season, FMCSA is also launching the agency's Protect Your Move education campaign to raise consumer awareness of household goods moving scams. In May 2026, Arizona's attorney general put out a peak-season alert. It warned that moving scams can include false advertising, undisclosed fees, lowball price estimates, and possessions being held hostage until consumers pay inflated, unexpected charges.
We call this pattern "peak-season bait." The mover uses the rush to get you to commit quickly. Then the price goes up, or the truck doesn't show up when promised.
How it works, step by step
- The urgency pitch. You hear that dates are almost gone and you need to put down a deposit today. Consumer guides list "Pay a deposit now or lose your spot" as a common pressure line.
- The low quote. You get a cheap price over the phone or online, often without anyone looking at what you own.
- Vague paperwork. The estimate is non-binding or incomplete, and the pickup date is "as soon as possible" or a loose window.
- The surcharge. On moving day, or once your things are loaded, new charges show up for weight, stairs, fuel or "peak demand."
- The squeeze. Some movers will quote a low price, load all of a consumer's household goods, drive the moving truck to the destination and then refuse to unload the goods until the consumer pays a higher price. Others miss the pickup window and leave you without a mover just as your lease ends.
Warning signs
- A firm price given without an in-home or video survey of your belongings.
- Pressure to pay a large deposit, or to pay only in cash or by wire.
- No written estimate, or an estimate that doesn't say whether it is binding or non-binding.
- No specific pickup and delivery dates in writing.
- For interstate moves, no copy of FMCSA's Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move booklet.
- A request to sign blank or incomplete documents before loading.
What federal law says
Interstate moves are covered by 49 CFR Part 375. Key points:
- Estimates. Your mover is not permitted to charge you for giving a non-binding estimate. Non-binding estimates must be in writing and clearly describe the shipment and all services provided.
- The 110% cap. Under a nonbinding estimate, the moving company cannot require you to pay more than 110 percent of the non-binding estimate at the time of delivery. Your mover must give you possession of your shipment if you pay 110 percent of a non-binding estimate or 100 percent of a binding estimate, plus 15 percent of the impracticable operations charges (if applicable).
- Dates. Before you move, be sure to reach an agreement with your mover on the dates for pickup and delivery of your shipment. It is your responsibility to determine on date or timeframe you require delivery. Once an agreement is reached, your mover must enter those dates upon the bill of lading.
- Delays. Under 49 CFR 375.605, a mover that can't make the agreed dates must notify the individual shipper of the delay, at your expense as soon as it knows. The mover pays for that notice, and it must give you new dates. The establishment of a delayed pickup or delivery date does not relieve your mover from liability for damages resulting from your mover's failure to provide service as agreed. If the mover won't pay a delay claim, you may have to pursue it yourself: FMCSA has no authority to order your mover to pay such claims.
Local, in-state moves are covered by state law, which differs from state to state. Arizona, for example, has a specific Hostage Load Law for in-state movers.
Recent cases and enforcement
In September 2026, Arizona families say movers demanded thousands more, then held their belongings hostage for weeks. The state's Department of Public Safety has received complaints about moving companies this year, and according to DPS, the total stands at 97. In another 2026 Arizona case, a couple's belongings were delayed for months. The couple had hired a Florida-based moving company, and a local report said that federal authorities are investigating the pattern of alleged hostage load moving fraud.
At the federal level, FMCSA ran a three-week sweep in spring 2023 in which dozens of highly trained agency personnel conducted more than 100 investigations across 16 states, resulting in more than 60 enforcement actions. After that operation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil penalty enforcement case.
If it happens to you
- Keep everything: the estimate, order for service, bill of lading, texts, emails and any delay notices.
- If you have a non-binding estimate, find the 110% figure. Offer to pay that amount, and put your offer in writing.
- For an interstate move, file a complaint with FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov or call 1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT).
- Contact your state attorney general's consumer-protection office. For in-state moves, Arizona's attorney general says peace officers can direct a mover to deliver and unload goods being held unlawfully during in-state moves.
- This article is not legal advice. For your specific situation, go to FMCSA's Protect Your Move pages and your state attorney general.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Look up the mover's USDOT number with MovePricer's free tool at movepricer.com/check, or in FMCSA's database. Check that its authority is active and that the name matches the company you're talking to.
- Ask for a binding or not-to-exceed estimate based on an actual survey of your belongings.
- Get specific pickup and delivery dates written on the order for service and the bill of lading.
- Don't let a deadline push you into a booking. Even in peak season, take a day to check the mover.