Moving company scams: red flags and how to protect yourself
Spot a rogue mover before you book: lowball phone quotes, brokers posing as movers, missing license numbers and hostage loads, plus where to complain in NY.
8 min read · Updated
The biggest moving scam red flags are a quote given over the phone without anyone seeing your things, a company that can't give you a NYSDOT certificate or USDOT number, and a demand for more money before they'll unload. Check the license, get a written estimate after a real survey, and know the legal limit on what a mover can demand at delivery.
Most movers are honest. The rogue ones follow a script: a cheap quote to win the job, a bigger bill once your belongings are on the truck, and sometimes a "hostage load" until you pay. The rules below come from New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) guidance and the federal household goods regulations, so you can tell a pushy mover from an illegal one.
Red flags, and the rule each one breaks
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Only a phone number. No license number, no address. | NYSDOT says every authorized New York mover must give its name, certificate number and address in ads. Interstate movers must show “U.S. DOT No.” and their number. |
| A firm price over the phone or by text, without seeing your things. | Interstate movers must base estimates on a physical survey (in person or by video) unless you waive it in writing. NYSDOT warns that only a written binding estimate is the actual cost. |
| A quote far below everyone else’s. | NYSDOT tells shippers to be wary of exceptionally low estimates. In New York, it is illegal for a mover to offer a discount from its filed tariff rates. |
| “We’re the moving company,” but the paperwork names someone else. | A broker sells your job to another company. Interstate brokers must say they won’t transport your goods and must tell you which movers they use. |
| Blank or incomplete forms to sign. | Federal guidance says not to sign blank documents. NYSDOT says read everything and keep a copy. |
| No written order for service or estimate. | Both NYSDOT and federal rules require written paperwork before loading. |
| “Pay the new total or we keep your stuff.” | Both regimes cap what can be demanded at delivery. Holding goods after you pay that cap is a hostage load. |
| Pressure to sign the released-value waiver. | Released value pays at most 60 cents per pound per item on interstate moves. |
Hostage loads: what you have to pay to get your things
A hostage load happens when a mover loads your goods and then refuses to deliver unless you pay far more than the estimate. The law sets a ceiling.
| Move type | Pay this and they must deliver | The rest |
|---|---|---|
| New York, hourly-rated | Written estimate + 25% | Due within 15 days |
| New York, weight-rated | Estimate + 10% | Due within 15 days |
| New York, written binding estimate | Binding estimate + 10% (if disputed) | Due within 15 days |
| Interstate, binding estimate | 100% of the estimate | Plus added services and up to 15% for impracticable operations |
| Interstate, non-binding estimate | 110% of the estimate | Plus added services and up to 15% for impracticable operations; rest billed later |
Under the federal rules, if you pay those amounts and the mover still won't hand over your shipment, it is holding your shipment hostage in violation of federal law. In New York, the mover must deliver when you pay the capped amount, if you ask. Extra services you asked for after the estimate, like a long carry or extra flights of stairs, can be added.
Brokers posing as movers
Many websites that look like moving companies are brokers. NYSDOT's booklet says move brokers often bid your move out to the lowest provider, aren't required to vet the companies they send, and make their money on the sale, not the move. That's how people end up with a truck from a company they never heard of.
- Look the company up on FMCSA's mover search. It shows whether the authority type is carrier or broker.
- Ask directly: "Will your own trucks and crew do my move?" If not, get the actual mover's name and check it too.
- An interstate broker can only give you an estimate if it has a written agreement with the mover and uses that mover's tariff.
How to vet a mover in 15 minutes
- 1
Check the license
Search CarCert for a move within New York, or FMCSA's mover search for an interstate move. The name and number must match the quote. - 2
Read the complaint history
The FMCSA search lists complaints for interstate movers. A handful among many moves is normal. A pattern of complaints about holding goods or surprise charges is not. - 3
Insist on a survey
Have the mover see your things in person or on a video call. Show every closet and the storage unit. - 4
Get it in writing
Get a signed written estimate and, before loading, the order for service (New York) or bill of lading (interstate) showing the most you’ll owe at delivery. - 5
Pay safely
Pay by a method that leaves a record. Be cautious about large upfront deposits, especially in cash or by app to a person rather than a company.
Your pre-booking checklist
Run every mover through this before you put down money. Your ticks are saved in this browser.
Before you book a mover
0/12Where to complain
| Your move | Who to contact | How |
|---|---|---|
| Started and ended in New York State | NYSDOT Office of Safety and Security Services | Mail the consumer complaint form with copies of all paperwork to 50 Wolf Road, POD 53, Albany, NY 12232; questions to (518) 457-6512 or [email protected] |
| Crossed a state line | FMCSA | 1-888-368-7238 |
| Loss or damage claim | The mover first, in writing | See our claims guide; NYSDOT can’t decide who is liable |
NYSDOT can look into contract violations, questionable practices and missing paperwork, but it can't decide loss or damage claims; those go to the mover and then to court or arbitration. Read how to file a claim when movers damage or lose your things.
Related reading
- How to hire a licensed mover in New York
- NYC moving checklist: 8 weeks to move-in day
- NYC moving cost estimator: know a fair ballpark before you compare quotes
- Apartment rental scams: the same pressure tactics show up in fake listings
Re-verified 2026-10-12 against the NYSDOT moving page, the Rev. 11-25 booklet and 49 CFR 375/371 (eCFR version 2026-10-01): NY certificate number and address in ads, be wary of exceptionally low estimates, no tariff discounts, 25%/10% caps and 15 days to pay; 375.207 U.S. DOT No. in ads; 375.401 physical survey and waiver in writing; Appendix A says do not sign blank documents and that refusing delivery after 100%/110% plus up to 15% impracticable charges is holding a shipment hostage in violation of Federal law; 371.107/.109 broker disclosures; 375.409 broker estimates. FMCSA mover search confirmed to show complaints, registration status and authority type (interstate movers only). NYSDOT complaint address (Office of Safety and Security Services, 50 Wolf Road, POD 53) and FMCSA 1-888-368-7238 from the NYSDOT page. No legal cap on upfront deposits was found, so that item is advice. Description shortened to 156 characters.
Sources
- Household Goods Consumer Moving Information · New York State Department of Transportation (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Summary of Information for Shippers of Household Goods (Rev. 11-25) · New York State Department of Transportation (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Search New York Carriers (CarCert) · New York State Department of Transportation (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Search Movers & Complaint History · Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (accessed October 12, 2026)
- 49 CFR Part 375 and Appendix A, Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move · eCFR (National Archives) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- 49 CFR Part 371: Brokers of Property · eCFR (National Archives) (accessed October 12, 2026)
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a professional before you act.