ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

All About the Moving Company Scam That Turns the Move to a Dream Home Into a Nightmare

The Crotteau family dreamt of having a cozy little home in Hot Springs which soon turned to a scam, leading to the family speanding over $25000 just to move their belongings!
PUBLISHED AUG 26, 2023
Image Source: The Packers Movers
Image Source: The Packers Movers

Picture the thrill of moving into a new home, the excitement of creating a beautiful living space, only to find out that the dream sold to you was a nightmare hiding a scam.

That's exactly what happened to Michael and Traci Crotteau, who had been preparing to relocate their family from Minnesota to Hot Springs.

The Crotteaus, like countless other families across the country, fell victim to misplaced trust and found themselves caught up in a frustrating pursuit to retrieve their belongings.

Image Source: Google Images
Image Source: Google Images

The Crotteaus initially signed a contract worth $8,000 for smooth transportation. But on the eve of the scheduled move, the moving company informed them that they needed an additional truck, and demanded $5,000 more. Yet the movers arrived two days late, without boxes, and with only one truck.

As part of the scam, trucks split their load because they can manipulate customers who need to pay for the truck that is 75-80% full and another one too if they want it. Amidst the chaos, the Crotteaus were asked for $12,000 more in cash and to sign another contract, while their belongings were en route to Hot Springs. Despite questioning the unexpected charges, they felt trapped and ended up paying the demanded amount.

After the first truck eventually arrived at their new house, the scammers again demanded $12,000 in cash, at which point the family refused and called the police.



 

Not the only victims

Although law enforcement deemed it a civil matter, the family was determined to retrieve their belongings. They placed an Apple air tag on a spring mattress attached to the back of the truck, hoping to track its location. While coordinating with investigators, they discovered that the same moving company had scammed someone else in Texas. After cooperating with law enforcement, they were able to recover their belongings from a storage facility in Dallas.

What was the company's response?

When KATV reached out to the company, it released the statement that they sympathize with the families effected by this scam that has been taking place for months. It added that People have been booking long distance moves giving their consumers the impression that they are a fully licensed and insured company. The firm claimed that it was cooperating with the FBI and law enforcement to rectify this issue as soon as possible and urged other victims to contact local law enforcement.

In 2022, a spokesperson from the FMCSA revealed that they had received over 7,500 complaints against moving companies, which was more than twice the number of consumer-filed complaints in 2015 at 3,030. Furthermore, the FMCSA mentioned their collaboration with state agencies, including attorney general's offices, to combat the escalation in moving scams.

How to stay protectedThe

Crotteaus have advised others to check the moving company's U.S. DOT number, verify the company's physical address, thoroughly review contracts, and obtain receipts for all payments. They also recommend filing insurance claims and fraud reports with agencies like the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the attorney general of their state to help recover belongings in such situation.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Despite getting a high auction estimate, the owner of the Meiji Period lamp chose to keep it.
12 hours ago
The player, Gabriel Berkowitz pulled off a perfect night winning over $45,000 and a car.
13 hours ago
Harvey showed no mercy after he found out that Sweet Lou Dunbar didn't know how apps work.
17 hours ago
The founder of Plop Star made an unforgettable entry and a sad exit from the show.
1 day ago
The host is otherwise quick to reprimand families for backing absurd answers.
1 day ago
While the Marvel comic book fetched a $50,000 appraisal, Harrison felt it was too rich for him.
1 day ago
Jimmy Alexander became the first player to lose a brand-new car on season 43 of the show.
2 days ago
The contestant, Brianne Peterson got extremely unlucky with her letter picks for the final puzzle.
2 days ago
The guest was told that the Jasper Johns Flag Print wouldn't be valuable but it was worth thousands.
2 days ago
It didn’t help that Alvin Rosales was playfully scolded by the host just before losing the Bonus Round.
3 days ago
The photos featured some looks of the show's legendary former host, Alex Trebek, as well.
3 days ago
The player, Kate Stuntz, pulled off a miraculous win to take home over $68,000 and a trip to Iceland.
3 days ago
The owner couldn’t believe the value of Jane Peterson’s "The Floats" gouache painting.
4 days ago
The player, Callie DeWeese, failed to choose the right letters in the Bonus Round, leading to her loss.
4 days ago
The personal digs at the host have been relentless on the show by producers and players.
4 days ago
The guest had no idea how valuable her grandfathers Dutch tinware coffee pot was.
5 days ago
It wasn't one of Steve Harvey's jokes that cracked Bridget up so bad.
5 days ago
Fans now won't be able to stream more than five most recent episodes of the new season.
5 days ago
Despite the questionable morality of CATE App, Neal Desai managed to partner with two Sharks.
6 days ago
A supplier of Costco's Dubai Styled chocolate issued a notice regarding misinformation of allergens.
6 days ago