What we verified in “Moving company scams and your rights in an interstate move”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. The FTC advises (September 30, 2024) that movers that cross state lines must be registered with the Department of Transportation (DOT), and that you check registrations on the DOT website; that for moves within a state you ask the state consumer protection office; that you get written estimates from several movers, who should look at your property in person or have you fully describe it; that you ask what each charges to insure your goods and what it pays for damage; that you not hire anyone who asks you to sign paperwork with blank spaces or demands cash or a big deposit before the move; and that you report interstate moving problems to DOT and scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

   Sources 1 · Avoid scams when you hire a moving company (Sept. 30, 2024): 'must be registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)'; 'Search the DOT website to check registrations'; 'ask state consumer protection offices'; 'Get written price estimates from several movers'; 'should look at your property in person or ask you to fully describe it'; 'what they charge to insure your goods'; 'Don't hire anyone who asks you to sign paperwork that has blank spaces'; 'demands cash or a big deposit'; 'report to DOT'; 'ReportFraud.ftc.gov' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. Under the federal rule (49 CFR §375.213), along with the written estimate the mover must give you (on paper or by link) DOT's 'Ready to Move?' brochure and the booklet 'Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move'; and before signing the bill of lading it must give you the estimate, a notice that you can see its tariff, a summary of its arbitration program and a summary of how it handles complaints, with its main phone number.

   Sources 2 · 49 CFR §375.213(a)(1)–(2): '“Ready to Move?—Tips for a Successful Interstate Move”'; '“Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”'; (b)(1)–(4): 'accurate estimate of your charges'; 'notice of the availability of the applicable sections of your tariff'; 'summary of your arbitration program'; 'customer complaint and inquiry handling procedures'; 'The main telephone number' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. Under the federal rule (49 CFR §375.401), the mover must do a physical survey of your goods and give you a written estimate based on it, unless you waive the survey in writing and sign before loading; before the bill of lading it must say whether the estimate is binding (guarantees the total cost for the quantities and services listed, and it may charge for it) or non-binding (what it believes the cost will be, based on actual weight, and it may not charge for it); it must tell you which forms of payment it accepts at delivery; both of you must sign the estimate and you must get a dated copy; and the estimate cannot be amended after loading.

   Sources 3 · 49 CFR §375.401(a): 'You must conduct a physical survey'; 'An individual shipper may elect to waive a physical survey'; 'It must be in writing'; 'signed by the shipper before the shipment is loaded'; (b)(1): 'A binding estimate ... guarantees the total cost of the move'; 'You may impose a charge for providing a written binding estimate'; (b)(2): 'You may not impose a charge for providing a non-binding estimate'; (c): 'specify the form of payment'; (h): 'must sign the estimate'; 'a dated copy'; (i): 'You may not amend the estimate after loading the shipment' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. Under the federal rule (49 CFR §375.703), the most a mover can demand at delivery is the exact amount of a binding estimate, or 110 percent of a non-binding estimate, plus any additional services you requested after the bill of lading was issued and, if applicable, impracticable operations charges, capped at 15 percent of all other charges.

   Sources 4 · 49 CFR §375.703(a): 'On a binding estimate, the maximum amount is the exact estimate of the charges'; (b): 'On a non-binding estimate, the maximum amount is 110 percent'; 'charges for any additional services requested by the shipper after the bill of lading has been issued'; 'an amount equal to 15 percent of all other charges due at delivery' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. According to the federal booklet 'Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move' (Appendix A to 49 CFR part 375), the mover must give you your shipment if you pay 110% of a non-binding estimate or 100% of a binding estimate, plus 15% of impracticable operations charges if applicable; if it does not, it is holding your shipment hostage in violation of federal law; remaining charges are billed after 30 days from delivery; and if you cannot pay 110% at delivery, the mover may put your shipment in storage at your expense.

   Sources 5 · Appendix A to Part 375: 'Your mover must give you possession of your shipment if you pay 110 percent of a non-binding estimate or 100 percent of a binding estimate, plus 15 percent of the impracticable operations charges'; 'the mover is holding your shipment hostage in violation of Federal law'; 'The mover will bill you for any remaining charges after 30 days from delivery'; 'your mover may place your shipment in storage at your expense' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. According to the federal booklet, there are two levels of liability in an interstate move: Full Value Protection, which the mover must include in the estimate and which applies unless you waive it in writing, with a minimum valuation of $6.00 per pound times your shipment's weight, and which raises the cost; and the waiver of that protection (Released Value), which costs nothing but covers only 60 cents per pound per article: for example, a 10-pound item worth $1,000 would be paid no more than $6.00.

   Sources 5 · Appendix A to Part 375, 'Full Value Protection': 'The initial cost estimate of charges that you receive from your mover must include this level of protection'; 'unless you waive Full Value Protection'; 'The minimum valuation level ... is $6.00 per pound times the weight of your shipment'; 'Waiver of Full Value Protection (Released Value of 60 Cents per Pound per Article)': 'there is no charge to you'; 'no more than 60 cents per pound, per article'; 'a 10-pound stereo component valued at $1,000 ... no more than $6.00' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. According to the federal booklet, the mover must prepare an inventory of your shipment, usually at loading, noting any damage or wear; you and the mover must sign each page and you may note any disagreement; at delivery you should check your items against the inventory and note any new damage; do not sign until it is accurate; movers may not have you sign documents that release them from all liability; and you should not sign blank documents.

   Sources 5 · Appendix A to Part 375, 'Inventory': 'Your mover must prepare an inventory of your shipment'; 'list any damage or unusual wear'; 'both you and the mover must sign each page of the inventory'; 'You have the right to note any disagreement'; 'check the items delivered against the items listed on your inventory'; 'Do not sign until you have assured yourself that it is accurate'; 'Movers are prohibited from having you sign documents that release the mover from all liability'; 'Do not sign entirely blank documents' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. According to the federal booklet, avoid brokers and movers that are not registered with FMCSA or refuse to do a physical survey of your goods; if you are required to pay cash, keep all receipts; a broker is a company that arranges transportation by a registered mover, and may give an estimate on a mover's behalf only with a written agreement and using the mover's tariff; and on a non-binding estimate, the mover must weigh your shipment and present the weight tickets with the invoice.

   Sources 5 · Appendix A to Part 375: 'You should avoid brokers and movers that are not registered with FMCSA or refuse to perform a physical survey'; 'If a broker or mover requires cash, FMCSA advises you to retain all receipts'; 'Broker—A company that arranges for the transportation of household goods by a registered moving company'; 'a household goods broker may only provide an estimate on a mover's behalf if the broker has a written agreement with the mover and uses the mover's published tariff'; 'Weight Tickets': 'Your mover must obtain weight tickets if your shipment is moving under a non-binding estimate'; 'The weight tickets must be presented with the invoice' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. According to the federal booklet, you have 9 months from delivery (or from the date it should have been delivered, if the whole shipment was lost) to file your claim, in writing, with the mover or its insurer; the mover has 30 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to give you a disposition, with 60-day extensions if it notifies you in writing; FMCSA cannot resolve claims for you; if you cannot settle, you have the right to request arbitration, which is required for the mover but not for you; and if the shipment is totally lost, the mover cannot charge you freight unless the loss was your fault.

   Sources 5 · Appendix A to Part 375: 'You have 9 months from the date of delivery'; 'The claim must be submitted in writing'; 'your mover has 30 days to acknowledge receipt of it'; 'The mover then has 120 days to provide you with a disposition'; '60-day extensions'; 'we cannot resolve these claims on your behalf'; 'you have the right to request arbitration from your mover'; 'You are not required to submit to arbitration'; 'Your mover is forbidden from collecting ... any freight charges ... when your shipment is totally lost or destroyed in transit' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. Under the federal rule (49 CFR §375.211), the mover must have an arbitration program to resolve disputes about loss, damage and additional charges; before the bill of lading it must tell you it exists, with a summary, the costs and the legal effects; arbitrators must be independent; and it may not charge you more than half of the cost of starting arbitration.

    Sources 6 · 49 CFR §375.211(a): 'You must have an arbitration program for individual shippers to resolve disputes about property loss and damage and disputes about whether carrier charges in addition to those collected at delivery must be paid'; (a)(2): 'notice to the individual shipper of the availability of neutral arbitration'; (a)(4): 'independent of the parties'; (a)(5): 'You must not charge the individual shipper more than one-half of the total cost for instituting the arbitration proceeding' · Checked October 31, 2026