What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Moving Scam

If a moving company just scammed you, overcharged you, held your belongings hostage, or damaged your property, the next 24 hours matter more than you think. Some of the actions below have time limits measured in days, not months. Others create records that become critical evidence if you pursue legal action later.

Do these in order. Each step builds on the last.

Before you do anything else, preserve the evidence you have.

- Screenshot all text messages, emails, and voicemails with the mover. Do this before they delete their accounts or change numbers. - Photograph the original estimate, the Bill of Lading, the final invoice, and any contract you signed. Both sides of every page. - If your goods were just delivered, photograph every item. Document damage before you unpack. Photograph the truck, including the company name (or lack of one), license plate, and DOT number. - Write down what happened while it is fresh: who you spoke to, what they said, when they said it, what was promised vs. what happened. - If your goods are still being held, note the last known location (GPS tracker, Find My iPhone, any tracking information the mover provided).

This documentation becomes evidence in every remedy available to you: FMCSA complaints, state AG complaints, credit card chargebacks, small claims court, and federal administrative proceedings.

Call your credit card company now. You have 60 days from the charge to file a dispute. Tell them:

- You were quoted one price and charged a different, higher price after your belongings were loaded - The company misrepresented its services (said it was a carrier but was actually a broker, sent a different company, etc.) - Provide the original estimate and the final charge as evidence

The chargeback process reverses the charge and puts the burden on the mover to prove the charge was legitimate. This is the fastest way to recover money.

If you paid by Zelle, Venmo, cash, or money order, this option is not available. That is exactly why scam movers prefer these payment methods. Note the payment method demanded in your documentation. It is evidence of intent.

Call 1-888-368-7238 or file online at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Yes, FMCSA rarely takes enforcement action. File anyway. The complaint creates an official federal record tied to the carrier's USDOT number. This record matters because:

- It contributes to the complaint count that may eventually trigger investigation - It is discoverable by independent platforms like Trunk that aggregate complaint data - It supports any subsequent legal action you take - If enough consumers file, the pattern becomes undeniable

Include the USDOT number, MC number, date of move, original estimate, final charge, and a description of what happened. Be specific. Name the sales rep. Name the driver. Include the truck license plate if you have it. Note: FMCSA sometimes denies complaints on jurisdictional grounds, especially if you file against a broker under the carrier category or if the move was intrastate. If your complaint is denied, refile making sure to select "broker" if the company arranged your move but did not perform it. If the move was within one state, file with your state AG instead, as FMCSA only covers interstate moves.

If your belongings are being held hostage, if the mover demanded payment beyond the contract before delivering, or if items are missing, file a police report in your local jurisdiction.

Some police departments are unfamiliar with moving fraud. Bring your contract and the FMCSA regulations. Holding consumer property and demanding payment beyond the agreed price is theft or extortion in most jurisdictions. Show them:

- The original binding estimate (the agreed price) - The higher amount demanded (the extortion) - The carrier's refusal to deliver at the agreed price

The police report creates a criminal record of the incident, separate from the federal complaint. It also strengthens any insurance claim or legal action.

This is the step most consumers miss, and it has the shortest deadline.

Under 49 USC 13710(a)(3)(B), you must contest billing charges with the carrier in writing within 180 days of delivery. If you do not formally dispute the bill within this window, you may lose the right to challenge the charges.

FMCSA does not mention this deadline anywhere on its consumer-facing website.

Send a written dispute to the carrier by certified mail, return receipt requested. State the original estimate, the amount charged, and that you are contesting the difference as unauthorized charges. Keep a copy. This creates the record you need for any subsequent administrative or court action.

Do this within the first 24 hours if possible. The 180-day clock is running.

File a consumer protection complaint with the AG in your state and the state where the mover is registered. Every state AG has a consumer protection division.

State AGs have authority under federal law (49 USC 14710-14711) to enforce FMCSA household goods regulations directly. Some AG offices are more responsive than FMCSA. Florida, New York, and California have specific moving company enforcement units.

If the AG's office tells you this is a federal matter, point them to 49 USC 14710, which explicitly authorizes state enforcement. Civil penalties collected by the state accrue to the state treasury.

If a moving company demanded cash or money order and refused credit cards or checks, this is not only a red flag for fraud but potentially tax evasion. Cash-only payments are often unreported income. You can report suspected tax fraud to the IRS using Form 3949-A (Information Referral) at irs.gov/individuals/how-do-you-report-suspected-tax-fraud-activity. Include the company name, any addresses you have, the amount you paid, and the date. This does not get your money back, but it creates a paper trail that can trigger an audit of the company's finances.

File a consumer report at trunk.lorea.ai/report-mover.

Your report becomes part of Trunk's database of consumer complaints cross-referenced against FMCSA records, BBB data, and other sources. Trunk uses consumer reports to detect fraud patterns, flag companies, and support investigative reporting and enforcement advocacy.

Reporter names are stored as first name and last initial only. We do not store phone numbers or email addresses.

Filing complaints is essential. But you should know what the timeline actually looks like.

FMCSA complaint: Your complaint creates a federal record. FMCSA does not notify you of any action taken. There is no case number you can track. The agency has closed zero broker enforcement cases since September 2024. An executive of OOIDA, a national trucking association, described the NCCDB as 'where complaints go to die.' File anyway. The record matters even if enforcement is slow.

State AG complaint: If the AG investigates, the process can take years. The Gold Standard case (FL AG, 9 companies) took over two years from filing to judgment. In two current FL AG cases (Coastal Moving, Amerisafe), the company owners were subpoenaed for sworn statements and simply did not show up. The AG had to go to court to compel their appearance. Both companies continued operating throughout. Your complaint adds to the evidence that supports investigation, but the investigation will not protect you in real time.

Section 14704 administrative complaint: After the first Section 14704 complaint was filed with the Secretary of Transportation in March 2025, it took 10 months for agency referral to the Office of Hearings and assignment to an administrative law judge. A second complaint filed in June 2026 waited over two months for docketing. The process works, but it does not move quickly.

DOT OIG: In 2023-2024, the OIG closed 203 investigations total. Approximately 7 involved moving fraud. That is 3.4% of the OIG's caseload. Investigations that do open can take 3+ years to close.

The enforcement system exists. It moves at a pace that is measured in months and years, not days. Your complaint contributes to the pressure that eventually produces action. But your immediate protection comes from the steps above: documentation, chargeback, written billing dispute, and reporting.

Do not pay the inflated amount if your goods are being held hostage. Offer to pay the original estimate (or 110% of a non-binding estimate). Document the mover's refusal. Get it on video if possible. If you pay under duress, you lose leverage but not your legal rights. The demand for payment above the contract is the violation, regardless of whether you paid.

Do not agree to sign an NDA, 'disclosure form,' or speech waiver in exchange for delivery of your goods or settlement of a claim. Carriers and brokers use these to suppress reviews and complaints. In a documented case, a carrier that overcharged a consumer by $7,000+ offered a $900 refund (13% of the overcharge) contingent on signing a 'disclosure form.' The consumer rejected the offer, filed federal administrative complaints instead, and recovered $9,500. The 'disclosure form' would have waived his right to pursue the remedies that ultimately worked. You are not required to sign anything beyond the Bill of Lading.

Do not wait. Every day that passes makes evidence harder to preserve and deadlines harder to meet.