A Moving Fraud Task Force has shut down five household goods moving companies for holding customer shipments hostage and failing to turn over records related to their investigations.
Three of those moving companies are based in South Florida. They are Northeastern Van Lines, Allegiant Van Lines, and Northern Van Lines
“You’ve moved, but your goods haven’t. The moving company refuses to let go of those goods until you invariably pay them more money,” Anne Farro with the US Department of Transportation said from Washington, D.C. “It’s basic extortion.”
NBC 6 found two addresses for Northeastern Van Lines. One was at an apartment complex. The other was in a gated community. Both of them were located in Pembroke Pines. Their phone number did not work.
Allegiant Van Lines is listed as being operated out of a gated community in Davie. Their phone number didn’t work either.
In Cooper City, Northern Van Lines is listed in a strip mall at UPS store.
While the moving companies were impossible to find in person and on the phone, complaints are easy to find online – especially the website ripoffreport.com. Farro said not finding them in person is just one red flag.
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“Be sure you’ve eyeballed the company to see if it’s even a real company that’s proposing your move, because anybody can promise anything on the internet,” she said.
To complain about a moving company, click here: http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov.
For more information about moving fraud and how to prepare for your next move, click here: www.protectyourmove.gov.
Click here for a complaint hotline.
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