Fraud Investigation
San Fernando Valley.
Van Nuys to Chatsworth.
Chameleon Carriers.
62
Flagged movers in CA
97
FMCSA complaints (USA Logistics)
$25K
DOJ fine
15 mi
Van Nuys to Chatsworth
62 flagged movers in California, with the highest concentration in the San Fernando Valley. Companies dissolve and re-register under new names at the same addresses. The trucks stay. The playbook stays. Only the name changes.
The B&B / USA Logistics Investigation
The most documented case in the San Fernando Valley cluster. A company exposed by local news, dissolved, and re-registered at the same address under a new name.
B&B Transportation
Owner: Gal Robi Jeddae | ABC7 investigation 2018
Exposed for holding customers' belongings hostage and operating with fake Yelp reviews. Dissolved after news coverage destroyed reputation.
USA Logistics
Owner: Gal Robi Jeddae | 97 FMCSA complaints
Same owner, same address as B&B Transportation. DOJ sued. $25,000 fine. Textbook chameleon carrier: new name, same operation.
Van Nuys: Moving Fraud Central
Van Nuys hosts the highest concentration of flagged movers in the San Fernando Valley. Its mix of commercial and industrial zoning, affordable warehouse space, and proximity to major freeways makes it an ideal base for moving operations.
Van Nuys flagged movers
Florida model
Pure brokers: zero trucks, zero drivers, all sales. The fraud is in the handoff to unknown carriers and the non-refundable deposit.
San Fernando Valley model
Carriers that actually own trucks and perform moves. The fraud is in the pricing: bait-and-switch estimates, hostage-load tactics at delivery, and cash demands. FMCSA can theoretically inspect these companies, but household goods enforcement remains minimal.
The Chatsworth Connection
Chatsworth, at the western edge of the San Fernando Valley, hosts its own cluster. Approximately 15 miles from Van Nuys, the proximity mirrors the Garfield-to-Hawthorne connection in New Jersey.
Chatsworth flagged movers
Chatsworth is zoned for heavy commercial and light industrial use along its main corridors. Truck yards, warehouse complexes, and commercial vehicle repair facilities provide the infrastructure moving companies need. Companies that dissolve in Van Nuys can re-register in Chatsworth without relocating their operations.
Shell Company Patterns
The San Fernando Valley exhibits the chameleon carrier pattern more aggressively than almost any other region. Companies dissolve and re-register under new names at the same addresses.
Accumulate Complaints
Company operates under Name A. FMCSA complaints, bad reviews, and consumer reports pile up. Reputation becomes toxic.
Dissolve the Entity
LLC dissolved with the state. FMCSA authority goes inactive. Complaint history is archived under the old DOT number.
Register New Name
Same owner files for a new LLC. Gets a new DOT number. Same address, same trucks, same warehouse, same staff.
Clean Record
Consumer searches new DOT number on FMCSA's SAFER database. Finds zero complaints. The history is attached to a DOT number the company no longer uses.
Trunk's chameleon carrier detection system cross-references owners, addresses, phone numbers, and operational patterns across DOT numbers to identify these connections. The San Fernando Valley is one of the highest-density regions for these matches.
Consumer protection tip
When hiring a Van Nuys or Chatsworth mover, search the company name, the owner's name, and the business address separately. A clean DOT record does not mean a clean history. It may mean the history is attached to a different DOT number the company no longer uses.
Related Investigations
Sources and Methodology
This investigation uses only consumer-sourced and publicly available information. No private databases or unauthorized access was used.
Trunk flagged movers database
62 CA movers flagged
FMCSA SAFER system
DOT records, authority status
ABC7 Los Angeles
B&B Transportation investigation, 2018
Department of Justice
USA Logistics lawsuit, $25K fine
BBB complaint records
Cross-referenced complaint data
Trunk chameleon carrier detection
Cross-DOT entity matching
Same address. Same owner. New name.
A clean DOT record does not mean a clean history.
The San Fernando Valley is one of the highest-density regions for chameleon carriers. Search any mover on Trunk before booking.
Search flagged movers near youThis document contains only publicly available information and consumer-submitted reports. No private databases or unauthorized access was used.