Household Goods Moving Fraud

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) administers commercial regulations governing the interstate transportation of household goods. FMCSA makes a variety of information available to help consumers planning a move. Before choosing a moving company, consumers should become familiar with Red Flag Indicators of Moving Fraud and review a Moving Fraud Prevention Checklist. Consumers may also want to check the FMCSA’s National Consumer Complaint Database or their local Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been registered against the moving company they are considering using.

Consumers seeking to file a complaint against a household goods moving company, broker or other carrier may contact FMCSA toll-free at: 1-888-368-7238. Complaints can also be filed online. 

In general, DOT's Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigates household goods carriers, brokers and other carriers alleged to have engaged in egregious and intentional patterns of criminal violations of the FMCSA’s economic and consumer protection regulations. The types of frauds committed against consumers may include:

  • Making, altering, copying, publishing, or negotiating a fraudulent bill of lading;
  • Deliberately providing a "low-ball" estimate to lure customers and then withholding or threatening to withhold the customers' household goods unless they pay significantly more than the quoted price;
  • Knowingly assigning a fraudulent weight or volume to a shipment ("weight bumping");
  • Obtaining money or property on false or fraudulent pretenses (inflating or falsifying the amount of packing materials or other supplies provided for the move);

Based on our experience working HHG fraud investigations, we have identified the following red flag indicators consumers should be aware of.

  • The company’s Web site has no local address and no information about their FMCSA registration (DOT number or type of registration such as broker or carrier) or insurance.
  • When you call the mover, the telephone is answered with a generic “Movers” or “Moving Company,” rather than the company’s name.
  • The mover does not offer or agree to an onsite inspection of your household goods, gives an estimate over the telephone or Internet — sight unseen, and does not provide you with either a “binding” or “non-binding” written estimate. These estimates will often sound too good to be true and they usually are.
  • The mover does not provide you with a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.
  • The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
  • On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company owned or marked fleet truck.
  • On moving day the moving truck driver or foreman will try to get you to sign blank documents before beginning to load your goods. Never sign blank forms and read what you sign.

Consumers may also report an allegation of household goods fraud to the OIG using any of the following methods: