How to report a moving scam
Updated September 5, 2026
If you believe you've been scammed by an interstate mover — held hostage for more money, an unlicensed operator, or a broker that misrepresented itself — there are several places to file a complaint, and using more than one is usually the right approach.
On this page
Where to report an interstate moving scam
- FMCSA — the federal regulator for interstate movers; file a complaint at fmcsa.dot.gov. This is the most consequential option for a genuinely licensed-but-misbehaving carrier.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) — public complaints that affect a company's rating and are visible to future customers researching them.
- Your state attorney general's consumer protection office — relevant especially if deceptive business practices, not just a moving-specific violation, are involved.
- Your card issuer — if you paid by credit card, you can dispute the charge, especially if services weren't delivered as agreed.
- Local law enforcement — if your belongings are actively being withheld or the situation involves theft or extortion.
What to prepare before filing
- The company's USDOT/MC number and legal name — see how to verify it if you don't already have it confirmed
- Copies of your written estimate, contract, and any inventory lists
- All communication — emails, texts, call logs
- Payment records — receipts, bank or card statements
- Photos of any damage or the situation itself
What happens after you report a moving company
Regulatory complaints through the FMCSA or your state attorney general create an official paper trail and can eventually trigger enforcement, though the process moves slowly. Government agencies work through backlogs and investigations, so you should not count on them to solve your immediate problem. If you need money back that you already paid, a credit card dispute is usually the faster route. Either way, hold onto every piece of documentation — contracts, emails, receipts, photos, and timelines — because you will likely need to reference the same evidence across multiple channels before everything is resolved.
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Exactly how to file a moving scam complaint with the FMCSA
You can file online through FMCSA's Household Goods Consumer Complaint website, or call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238), staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time, where a customer service agent will take your complaint by phone. (Source: FMCSA)
Before you pick up the phone or start an online filing, gather these items so you are not scrambling mid-process:
- Your name, address, and phone number
- The moving company's name, address, and phone number
- The origin and destination of your shipment
- The company's USDOT and MC numbers, if you have them
Specific violations worth reporting include a mover failing to deliver your goods after you've paid the legal maximum (100 percent of a binding estimate or 110 percent of a non-binding one), and a mover or broker operating without valid FMCSA authority or without required insurance on file. (Source: FMCSA)
FMCSA's crackdown on scam movers
Complaints against interstate movers have been rising, driven by a small percentage of "rogue movers" among the more than 35 million Americans who move each year. In response, the FMCSA runs Operation Protect Your Move, a nationwide enforcement initiative that deploys investigators to pursue complaints about movers holding household goods hostage for additional payment. Filing your complaint isn't just a formality — it feeds directly into which companies get investigated. (Source: FMCSA)
Filing a moving scam report with the FTC alongside FMCSA
The Federal Trade Commission runs a separate reporting channel from the FMCSA, at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC doesn't typically resolve individual disputes either, but every report gets logged into Consumer Sentinel, a secure database shared with civil and criminal law enforcement agencies nationwide — similar pattern-detection value to an FMCSA complaint, just through a different agency. Filing with both costs a few extra minutes and widens the trail if a company is scamming multiple households.
The FTC's own guidance splits reporting by move type: an interstate or international move belongs with the DOT/FMCSA, while a purely in-state move belongs with your state's enforcement agency instead — one more reason to confirm whether your move actually crossed a state line before deciding where to file. (Source: FTC Consumer Advice)
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Frequently asked questions
The FMCSA, if it's an interstate move — they regulate the industry and can take enforcement action, including against a company's operating authority. A BBB complaint and a card dispute (if applicable) are useful in parallel, not instead of it.
It's much harder than with a credit card, which is why avoiding cash or wire payment for large deposits is one of the strongest protections you can take before you're in a dispute. Report it to the FMCSA and local law enforcement either way.
A poor but not fraudulent experience is better addressed through an honest review and, if relevant, a BBB complaint — reserve formal FMCSA fraud complaints for genuine violations (holding belongings hostage, operating without authority, misrepresenting broker/carrier status).
Not necessarily quickly — regulatory complaints are about accountability and can take time. If your belongings are being held, local law enforcement and a lawyer may be more immediately useful than a regulatory complaint alone.