Coastal Moving Services
Red Flags
- 316 BBB complaints in 3 years, 245 closed in last 12 months. Massive complaint volume for a 2-year-old company
- Operates as a moving broker, not an actual mover, despite marketing otherwise
- Systematic bait-and-switch pricing: quotes double or triple on moving day after deposit paid
- Subcontracts to unknown carriers without consumer consent (LoadRans LLC, Medina Movers, Rapid Express Moving, others)
- Consumer deposits of $1,400 to $3,000+ collected then price inflated at pickup with no refund option
- Consumer quoted $2,500, price ballooned to $12,500 after subcontracting. Deposit refund stonewalled for months
- Consumer quoted $2,996, price inflated to $14,000 at pickup when volume 'differed from estimate'
- Consumer charged $8,000 after $3,000 down payment, forced to leave belongings behind including furniture
- Military family targeted: price almost doubled to $20,000 on moving day
- Delivery delays of 4+ weeks routinely on moves quoted as days
- Damaged, broken, and missing items with no accountability. Movers arrive with no tools
- Drivers demand cash, Zelle, or money orders. No credit card accepted for final payment
- Delivery drivers attempted to shake down consumers for additional payment at delivery
- Consumers pressured into positive reviews. Company responds to negative BBB reviews with boilerplate deflection
- Connected carriers: LoadRans LLC (Vernon, CA), Medina Movers, Rapid Express Moving
- Connected brokers: Value Added Moving (FL), Safe Shield Moving Services LLC (FL)
- NOT BBB accredited despite B- rating. BBB review average 4.34/1,377 reviews suggests review manipulation
- Google 4.3 rating despite systematic fraud pattern in real consumer reviews
- Reddit users independently identified bait-and-switch scam pattern
Connected Fraud Network
Florida Broker-Carrier Pipeline
Low quote by FL broker -> large deposit ($1,400-$3,000) -> subcontract to LoadRans or similar CA carrier -> price doubled or tripled at pickup -> belongings held hostage in public storage under carrier's name -> cash/Zelle/money order demanded before unloading -> damaged and missing items -> boilerplate BBB response
Estimated scope: Likely thousands based on 750+ BBB complaints alone. Coastal Moving Services has 316 complaints in 3 years and 1,377 BBB reviews.
BBB Profile
Rating
B-
Accredited
No
Complaints (3yr)
316
How Coastal Moving Services Compares
Google Rating
People
Owner: Rafael Castro
Reddit Community
“We originally got scammed with Coastal Moving Services requiring a $1400 deposit for a $3100 quote and then they will end up demanding 2x the original quote the day of. We cut our losses. The only way we knew Coastal Moving Services was a scam was to check reddit threads.”
u/courtnxx_ in r/movingtoNYC+4
Reviews
12 reviews across bbb, google, facebook_community, Reddit. 0 positive (0%). 12 negative (100%). Average: 4.3/5 from 0 Google reviews.
| Rating | Review | Author | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/5 | Move from Maryland to California. Multiple price changes after providing full inventory list with pictures. Broke my desk, cut across to the bed frame, shoe cost to missing. Belongings unaccounted for, things in Baltimore's inner harbor. Ready and tired of being gaslighted. | Jasprte K. | bbb |
| 1/5 | Quoted $2,500 for move and storage. Quality control call raised it to $5,500. Charged 56% up front. They subcontracted. Came back with total price of $12,500. Asked for deposit back and was told to be patient. Now it's a huge circle block. Coastal Moving misrepresented their brand and are not truthful. | Brian M. | bbb |
| 1/5 | DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. They are not really movers or even brokers. They are complete scammers. They took my $2K deposit and demanded thousands more right then. They are liars and extortionists. They won't allow pickup by another carrier. Furniture and precious items were broken. This 'company' should not be allowed to do business. | Regina S. | bbb |
| 1/5 | WARNING TO EVERY MILITARY FAMILY STAY AWAY FROM COASTAL MOVING SERVICES. Worst experience of our lifetime, they are scammers. Subcontracted to someone else. Price almost doubled to $20,000. When the truck arrived they had only 300 boxes in a 2-3 storage unit, an empty storage unit, and was stating total of around $14,000. | Rocky D. | bbb |
| 1/5 | If I could give zero stars I would. So many hidden fees and lack of communication. The quote is just a starting price. Don't plan on getting your stuff in less than 4 weeks. Don't plan on getting furniture almost whole. All the work is contracted out to second and third parties. The whole company is a joke. | Justin F. | bbb |
| 1/5 | They dispatched Medina Movers who then showed up at my house. I refuse to allow them to move if they accept cash or money order and no credit card. They stole some of my things, broke some things, and stole my baby CD stack. Horrible horrible experience. I felt so violated. | Hert C. | bbb |
| 1/5 | Upcharged after loaded in truck. Delivery driver tried shaking me down after delivery. Do not use the pirates. | Chris P. | |
| 1/5 | The biggest liar and switch on the freaking planet. DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE. They asked me for a list of items, called to confirm, I added one couch. They got to my home and say items I listed will push me over the limit so I have to prioritize. The absolute worst company I have ever had the displeasure to do business with. | Alan A. | |
| 1/5 | Worst moving company. They are not at all reliable and book a second party, rapid express moving. My stuff is not at all trackable, after calling everyday they finally dispatched much later than the promised 10-15 days. I am forced to report these guys to the license board. | Shruti A. | |
| 1/5 | Broker gave me a quote after going through my house, charged $3,000 down payment. Movers filled a U-Haul then came back with a brand new amount. Items remained in LA warehouse. I paid $8,000 because they go by sq ft not items. I was forced to leave everything behind and pay an additional $2,000 for my couch and dressing table. I feel I got scammed. | Catherine P. | |
| 1/5 | Coastal Movers out of Boca Raton, and Loadrans out of Vernon, California. | Cynthia C. | facebook_community |
| 1/5 | We originally got scammed with Coastal Moving Services requiring a $1400 deposit for a $3100 quote and then they will end up demanding 2x the original quote the day of. We cut our losses. The only way we knew Coastal Moving Services was a scam was to check reddit threads. | courtnxx_ | movingtoNYC |
Move from Maryland to California. Multiple price changes after providing full inventory list with pictures. Broke my desk, cut across to the bed frame, shoe cost to missing. Belongings unaccounted for, things in Baltimore's inner harbor. Ready and tired of being gaslighted.
Jasprte K.
Quoted $2,500 for move and storage. Quality control call raised it to $5,500. Charged 56% up front. They subcontracted. Came back with total price of $12,500. Asked for deposit back and was told to be patient. Now it's a huge circle block. Coastal Moving misrepresented their brand and are not truthful.
Brian M.
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. They are not really movers or even brokers. They are complete scammers. They took my $2K deposit and demanded thousands more right then. They are liars and extortionists. They won't allow pickup by another carrier. Furniture and precious items were broken. This 'company' should not be allowed to do business.
Regina S.
WARNING TO EVERY MILITARY FAMILY STAY AWAY FROM COASTAL MOVING SERVICES. Worst experience of our lifetime, they are scammers. Subcontracted to someone else. Price almost doubled to $20,000. When the truck arrived they had only 300 boxes in a 2-3 storage unit, an empty storage unit, and was stating total of around $14,000.
Rocky D.
If I could give zero stars I would. So many hidden fees and lack of communication. The quote is just a starting price. Don't plan on getting your stuff in less than 4 weeks. Don't plan on getting furniture almost whole. All the work is contracted out to second and third parties. The whole company is a joke.
Justin F.
They dispatched Medina Movers who then showed up at my house. I refuse to allow them to move if they accept cash or money order and no credit card. They stole some of my things, broke some things, and stole my baby CD stack. Horrible horrible experience. I felt so violated.
Hert C.
Upcharged after loaded in truck. Delivery driver tried shaking me down after delivery. Do not use the pirates.
Chris P.
The biggest liar and switch on the freaking planet. DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE. They asked me for a list of items, called to confirm, I added one couch. They got to my home and say items I listed will push me over the limit so I have to prioritize. The absolute worst company I have ever had the displeasure to do business with.
Alan A.
Worst moving company. They are not at all reliable and book a second party, rapid express moving. My stuff is not at all trackable, after calling everyday they finally dispatched much later than the promised 10-15 days. I am forced to report these guys to the license board.
Shruti A.
Broker gave me a quote after going through my house, charged $3,000 down payment. Movers filled a U-Haul then came back with a brand new amount. Items remained in LA warehouse. I paid $8,000 because they go by sq ft not items. I was forced to leave everything behind and pay an additional $2,000 for my couch and dressing table. I feel I got scammed.
Catherine P.
Coastal Movers out of Boca Raton, and Loadrans out of Vernon, California.
Cynthia C.
We originally got scammed with Coastal Moving Services requiring a $1400 deposit for a $3100 quote and then they will end up demanding 2x the original quote the day of. We cut our losses. The only way we knew Coastal Moving Services was a scam was to check reddit threads.
courtnxx_
Location
5855 N Federal Hwy Ste 31
(561) 210-5001