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Are Your Movers Fraudulent? Holding Things Hostage? What to Do When Things Go South

Choosing to move should be done with caution, but if you have already fallen prey to a scammer read on to understand what to do next.

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What to Do if Movers Hold Your Items Hostage

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What to Do if Movers Hold Your Items Hostage

Oh no, you made a mistake and booked your move with a bunch of con artists. Now they have all your home goods inside their truck and the threats are flowing free.

Let's break it down on what to do, step by step, while you start breathing again.

1. Understand the Situation

If movers are holding your items hostage, it's a serious issue and requires immediate action. You probably already know this or you wouldn’t be reading our blog looking for solutions.

Here’s what you can do to address and resolve the issue. Don’t worry, everything will work out. 

Review Your Contract

  • Check your moving contract to understand the terms and conditions you agreed to and signed. Read the fine print to understand any clauses about payment and what it means to breach the contract.
  • Look for any details about payment schedules, timelines, additional charges, and the process for disputes.
  • Read online to see if a similar situation happened to previous customers. Ideally, you would have done this research before using this moving company, but at least now you know you aren’t alone and see how they solved the problem.

Communicate with the Movers Directly

  • Contact the moving company or driver of the truck to understand their reasons for holding your items. They might claim additional fees weren’t paid or other issues that you are unaware of.
  • Try to solve things hospitably instead of yelling at each other which will get you no closer to getting your things back. Clear communication without anger can solve a lot of issues.

2. Gather Proof

Collect Proof ASAP

  • Document everything related to the move, including the original contract, communication with the moving company via messages, and any notices or documentation provided by them. You will need everything to make a case.

Take Photos: Real Evidence

  • If possible, take photos of the moving truck, your items, and their values including any receipts that prove this, and any communication you have with them. This evidence can be crucial if you need to take legal action and need financial value.

3. Address the Issue

Pay Any Outstanding Fees

  • If the issue is due to unpaid fees you actually owe, simply close your bill. Check if you can resolve the problem by paying any legitimate outstanding amounts or paying in installments. Ensure that the moving company’s payment request is valid and backed up by your contract and what you agreed upon.
  • Don’t let their pressure on you make you give them a few extra hundred dollars just to get the problem behind you. Don’t reward them with money for their scams. 

Get Written Agreement

  • If you make a payment or agree to anything different than before, get everything in writing. This agreement should state the terms for releasing your items. Make sure you have a witness when signing.

4. Contact Authorities

File a Complaint

  • Local Consumer Protection Agency: File a complaint with your local consumer protection agency. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is its widely known name. This is also where you should read up on your moving company’s reputation before booking if you have yet to make a detrimental mistake. This is the best way to avoid scammers. 
  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA): If your move is between multiple states, you should file a complaint with the FMCSA. They regulate moving companies. They can help solve the issue and take legal action on your behalf. 

Sue Them

  • Small Claims Court: Take those scammers to court! If you know you’re being unfairly treated and your items are being held hostage causing you to waste time, and adding stress to your life, consider filing a claim in small claims court.
  • Lawyer Things: Consult with a lawyer who specializes in consumer rights or contract disputes to understand your options and potential legal fixes. This might be expensive so see if you have a friend that works in the field of law and can help you out.

5. Learning From Mistakes

Verify Movers

  • First thing’s first- always vet your movers and work with a reputable and trusted moving company. Before hiring a moving company, research their reputation online, read reviews of real customers, and check for licensing and insurance. All their documents should be in date. Verify their ids with the authorities.
  • Use iMoving to avoid this mess next time. We are your moving brokers and have your back in the field as we want you to get the great movers you deserve. 
  • Understand your rights as a customer, including what moving companies are legally required to do and how you can protect yourself in case of disputes. Let’s get your stuff back legally.
  • Make sure that all agreements, including binding price estimates and any changes to the contract, are done in writing.

6. File a Claim with Insurance

Review Your Insurance Policy

  • If you have moving insurance external from your moving company, contact your provider to understand your coverage and file a claim if necessary.
  • If your coverage is under the movers insurance it may be harder to provide a claim but try giving them a call as they should be an external company unless you really went with a scammer.

Wrapping Up this Mess

If your con of a mover is still holding your items hostage, it’s important to act quickly and follow a plan to resolve the situation. Try to resolve things via good communication, review your contract, check your insurance, communicate clearly with all involved, document everything via photos, and seek help from authorities or legal pros if it gets to that point. Many moving companies that are scammers will try this trick to try and get a few easy hundred dollars. Don’t fall for their tricks and threaten legal and criminal action.

Frequently Asked Questions

You want to be reasonable and start small for the first time before moving out of your parent’s home. Typically, you want to have somewhere between $1000 and $2000 set aside in your emergency fund; more if possible.

The more prepared you are upon leaving your parent’s home, the less stressful it will be (and the less likely it is that you’ll end up back there because of financial issues in the future).

Try and keep your emergency fund in a high-yield savings account so it can be making money while you save it.

Book ahead of time during the off-peak season (mid week in the winter will be the cheapest). Don’t fall for scammers who quote you one thing and then expect much more with hidden fees for made-up services.

Only book a trusted and vetted mover to make sure you don't fall for the bad guys. Use iMoving for all of this and more.

Moving really does tend to require lots of tape, cartons, and bubble wrap, but this doesn’t have to be an environmental nightmare. Where you can, replace bubble wrap with towels and sheets.

Replace tape with ties (but not too much), and see how you can repurpose all these items later on. If you wrap things in your mom’s towels, that's one less towel you will have to buy for your new place!

Start with the big items and work your way through to the small household items. Keep a tally and write everything down along with photo evidence.

Count the number of boxes packed, beds, bed frames, TVs, and so on so that you can hold your mover accountable and know what you have to work with.

This will help you in the unpacking phase to ensure everything arrives in the right conditions with no damage.

Involve them in the process! Even if they aren’t fully functional, having them feel empowered will do a lot for their self-esteem.

You can involve them in the process of choosing a new home, or new area, or just in the small things such as where the local supermarket should be, or what day they want to move and feel up to it.

Make sure to keep their stress levels low, take breaks, and keep their medicines in the essentials bag so nothing gets lost in the process.

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Rachel Kaplan

Rachel has spent the last few years writing for moving companies while actually moving across the globe. After many years of moving between many states in the US, she moved abroad to try the remote work life. She’s a pro at moving all her things with her dog and hundreds of plants. Thankfully she’s a minimalist so moves aren’t too much of an issue.

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