PHOENIX — Arizona's attorney general is issuing a warning about a moving scam involving so-called "hostage loads."
A Valley couple told 12News they fell victim to the scam.
According to Attorney General Kris Mayes, a moving company will give customers a low estimate to move within the state and then bump up the price significantly once items are loaded on the mover's truck.
All the Mosers wanted was to move 70 miles from Casa Grande to Tucson into a quiet mobile home park.
Ric Moser said he did a little searching on Yelp but ultimately went with a mover he found on Craigslist.
"It just was a complete disaster, I did a couple of checks on Yelp, did some due diligence but obviously not enough," Moser explained.
Even though, he spoke to the mover and came to an agreement on the date, time and price, things quickly went south for the moving process itself. Moser said, he agreed to a $400 deposit via Zelle, then would pay to the agreed upon hourly rate.
"I figured it out, it would've been 4-5 hours, which would've been under a thousand dollars, at the rate we came to. But when the time came, he loaded up half my stuff and then said, I needed to pay the full amount, but I refused, then he said 'Well, I'm going to charge you a thousand dollars to unload it.'"
After giving the mover the thousand dollars in cash, he agreed to haul the items to Tucson, but the trouble for the Mosers didn't stop there.
"The workers pulled off to the side of the road and told me they forgot their driver's license and had to go back to Phoenix," he explained.
Moser said was grateful for the help of not only the Attorney General's office but also the help of the Arizona Department of Public Safety which ultimately helped get the couple's things back to them. A string of text messages and proof of the "mover's" license helped troopers track down the person responsible.
Intimidation tactics like driving away with the consumer's belongings will also be used by the movers if the customer doesn't pay the increased price, Mayes said.
Mayes said this is an illegal practice in Arizona and anyone faced with the situation should "immediately call law enforcement."
"Movers who unlawfully take consumers' property hostage are essentially thieves masquerading as movers," said Mayes.
Members of law enforcement can direct a mover to deliver and unload goods being held "hostage" in these situations.
With Arizona's Hostage Load Law, movers must comply with state regulations that prohibit them from demanding payment and refusing to deliver or unload household goods.
It is a violation of the law to "refuse to deliver or unload goods once you pay the 'total estimated price' in the signed contract."
Mayes offered the following tips if you are hiring a moving company:
- Thoroughly research moving companies before signing a contract
- Check the company's complaint history and reputation with organizations like the Better Business Bureau
- Read online reviews
- Get moving quotes in writing
- Obtain at least three written estimates
- Inquire about additional fees
- Do not pay cash or a large deposit before the move
- Beware of movers requiring a large up-front deposit, cash payment, or payment in full beforehand
- Move valuable items including cash, electronics, jewelry, medications, medical equipment, and bank records yourself
- Do not sign blank or incomplete documents. Get copies of everything you sign. Untrustworthy movers can insert unapproved terms or fees into blank spaces on documents.
Another warning sign to look out for is if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is, so watch out for estimates on moving that seem too low.
If you are involved in a hostage load situation, immediately contact your local law enforcement agency and the Arizona Department of Public Safety at 602-223-5000 or by email at AZmovers@azdps.gov.
If you believe you are a victim of fraud, file a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
You can also contact the Consumer Information and Complaints Unit in Phoenix at 602-542-5763, in Tucson at 520-628-6648, and outside of the metro Phoenix area at 800-352-8431.
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