Another day, another story of a moving scam. Unfortunately, this type of narrative seems to be popping up more and more frequently in the news. This particular report, from a news station in Austin, Texas, follows Leah Casey – a woman at the tail end of a long distance relocation from California to the Lone Star State. Before packing up her belongings she’d signed a contract based on an estimation of $2,100 for the move. Unfortunately, when the movers arrived they refused to release her belongings until she paid them $14,000 – in CASH.

I really cannot stress enough how important it is to not only research the moving company you plan to use, but also to assess whether the price quote they’re giving you is realistic. Ask around, speak with a few different companies and stay away from someone that’s offering the same amount of work for less than half the price. Too good to be true, in most cases, is exactly that.

From the Austin Report:

“That sounded like a great deal,” said Casey. The mover refused to deliver anything until she paid the new price in full — and in cash. We wanted to know why the price suddenly went up. Our sister station, KTVU-TV, paid a visit to Leah’s movers, Scout Relocation of San Jose, California. The company refused to answer any questions. Now, state regulators there are now investigating. So how can this happen? If you’ve got a signed contract promising you a certain price, how can a moving company just raise it and hold your items ransom until you pay? 7 On Your Side found out, it can happen because the law does little to stop it.