Fraud Investigation
28 Flagged Movers.
Two Small NJ Towns.
One Pattern.
28
Flagged movers in NJ
21
Reports on Howard's
32K
Garfield population
8 mi
Garfield to Hawthorne
Two small NJ towns, 28 flagged moving companies. Howard's VanLine alone has 21 consumer reports on Trunk, more than any other company nationwide. Multiple companies share addresses.
The Garfield Cluster
Garfield, New Jersey (population 32,000) hosts several flagged moving companies in close proximity. Howard's VanLine is the most prominent, but AMB Moving & Storage and Express Movers Services are also registered in Garfield.
Howard's VanLine
21 Trunk consumer reports
Most-complained mover in Trunk's database. Quoted $2,709 to $5,547, actual $5,800 to $12,450. Denied being a broker, then Atlas Movers showed up. Employee Deborah sent threatening texts after chargebacks.
AMB Moving & Storage
Multiple complaints
Registered in Garfield. Consumer reports describe cancelled pickup dates, price increases at delivery, and demands for cash or money orders.
Express Movers Services
Multiple complaints
Registered in Garfield. Similar complaint patterns to other Garfield companies.
Howard's VanLine: A Case Study
21 consumer reports. The same sequence described independently by consumers who had no contact with each other. The consistency is the evidence.
The Quote
$2,709 to $5,547. Sounds competitive. Sales team is responsive and professional during booking.
The Cancellation
First pickup date is cancelled. Rescheduled, sometimes multiple times. Creates urgency: consumer may have already given notice or closed on a home sale.
The Denial
Consumer asks: 'Are you a broker?' Howard's says no. Explicitly denies being a broker. Assures consumer they own trucks and will perform the move.
The Handoff
On moving day, Atlas Movers or another unknown carrier appears. Different truck, different crew, different company. The consumer's contract is with Howard's, but Howard's is not there.
The Price Doubles
Actual charges: $5,800 to $12,450. Additional fees for items already on inventory. Cubic footage recalculated at pickup.
The Cash Demand
Payment demanded via cash, Zelle, or USPS money orders. No credit card accepted for the balance. Consumer loses chargeback protection.
The Threats
After chargebacks, employee Deborah sends threatening text messages. Consumers have filed police reports and FMCSA complaints.
Quoted $2,709, charged $5,800
Atlas Movers showed up instead of Howard's. Was told explicitly that Howard's is not a broker.
Quoted $3,200, charged $7,900
First pickup cancelled and rescheduled twice. Different carrier arrived on moving day.
Quoted $4,100, charged $9,200
Demanded USPS money order at delivery. Would not accept credit card for balance.
Quoted $5,547, charged $12,450
Threatening texts from employee Deborah after chargeback attempt. Police report filed.
Quoted $3,500, charged $8,100
FMCSA complaint submitted. Police report filed. Still waiting for resolution.
The Hawthorne Connection
Hawthorne (population 19,000), just 8 miles from Garfield, hosts its own cluster of flagged movers. The proximity and similar business models raise questions about shared ownership and dispatch.
Hawthorne and nearby flagged movers
The Garfield-Hawthorne connection mirrors patterns Trunk has documented in other fraud clusters. In South Florida, related companies operate from adjacent suites in the same office building. In New Jersey, they operate from adjacent towns. The physical separation provides the appearance of independence while the operational patterns are identical.
Pattern: Deny Being a Broker
Florida pattern
Many FL companies openly register as brokers with FMCSA. Their broker status is visible in the SAFER database. The deception is that they do not disclose this to consumers at the point of sale.
New Jersey pattern
NJ companies actively deny being brokers when asked directly. Consumers are told the company owns its own trucks. On moving day, a different carrier shows up. This is not a failure to disclose. It is active misrepresentation, a federal violation.
Related Investigations
Sources and Methodology
This investigation uses only consumer-sourced and publicly available information. No private databases or unauthorized access was used.
Trunk consumer reports
21 reports on Howard's VanLine
Trunk flagged movers database
28 NJ movers flagged
FMCSA SAFER system
DOT records, authority status
BBB complaint records
Complaint history cross-reference
Consumer evidence
Text message screenshots, police reports
FMCSA complaints
Filed by consumers in reports
21 consumer reports. One company. One pattern.
Search any NJ mover on Trunk before booking.
Howard's VanLine is the most reported mover in our database. But it is not alone. 28 flagged movers operate from two small NJ towns.
Search flagged movers near youThis document contains only publicly available information and consumer-submitted reports. No private databases or unauthorized access was used.