DUNEDIN, Fla. — Moving scams have become so common in recent times that the U.S. Department of Transportation has taken notice and is now actively cracking down on rogue movers.

What You Need To Know

  •  USDOT received more than 7,500 complaints in 2022

  •  Majority of complaints came out of Florida

  •  USDOT looking to revoke licenses of unscrupulous movers 

One victim of such a scam is Paula Hurst, who had planned her retirement move from Colorado to her new townhouse in Dunedin down to the last detail.

She had even designated where her grandmother’s antique dresser and her antique glass bottles would be placed.

Unfortunately, her townhome was not ready when she arrived in Dunedin over a year ago, and the movers had to put her items in storage in Daytona Beach.

According to Hurst, she gave the movers a down payment of $3,500 and paid $225 monthly for storage for over a year, which amounted to a total of $6,000-$7,000.

But to her disappointment, none of her belongings ever arrived, and the movers have since ignored her phone calls.

“What I’m not missing is my jewelry, my important papers, and my fragile items. But the rest of my life is missing,” said Hurst. “A four-bedroom house, beds, dressers.”

Hurst's case is not an isolated one. In 2022, the US Department of Transportation received over 7,500 complaints against moving companies and brokers.

Florida is reportedly the focal point of the problem, accounting for half of all complaints.

According to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, his department is partnering with local law enforcement agencies to ensure that these bad actors are brought to book.

“We can then use that evidence in revoking the licenses of these bad actors and we’re also partnering with local law enforcement where it’s appropriate on the ground to make sure they’re able to do their enforcement work," he said.

Meanwhile, Hurst advises others to do their research before entrusting their belongings to any moving company.