'Operation Mother's Attic' nets moving companies doing business without a license

Peggy Wright | Morristown Daily Record

Show Caption Hide Caption Sting operation ends in fines for 29 moving companies State Division of Consumer Affairs sting in April nets 29 suspected unlicensed moving companies.

Designed to catch moving companies doing business without a license, "Operation Mother's Attic" was set in motion by the state's attorney general and Division of Consumer Affairs.

When the four-day April sting was over, 29 moving companies were cited by state investigators for not having licenses. On Monday morning, the office of Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced the results.

As part of the sting, dozens of companies suspected of not having licenses were lured to the upscale Valhalla Estates section of Montville on the pretense of moving the contents of a home. There they were met by Consumer Affairs investigators, state police and other officials.

The sting, named after the cargo space that juts over the front of some of the moving truck vehicles, kicked off April 18. Reporters were invited to be present and observe during the sting, but were asked not to report until results were released on Monday.

“An unlicensed moving company can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare,” Grewal said.

“They’ve been known to hold truckloads of property hostage until the customer pays an extortionate fee. And these unlicensed movers often don’t carry adequate insurance, creating the risk that homeowners will be left high and dry if their property is seriously damaged during the move. That’s why we regulate the industry — and why we crack down on rogue operators,” Grewal said.

As part of the operation, movers that advertised their business online were given staggered appointment times to show up. At the scene, Consumer Affairs Division Deputy Director Cindy K. Miller said the goal was to enforce licensing regulations and stop unscrupulous practices by some moving companies, such as holding owners' belongings hostage until they paid an unexpected inflated rate.

"We'd like the public to know the importance of looking for and hiring a licensed public mover," Miller said. Risks of hiring unlicensed businesses include novice movers who are careless with property and others who lack insurance, Miller said.

"Some may have an ulterior motive in moving your belongings. Here today and then gone," Miller said.

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The 29 movers that received notices of violation face $2,500 fines. Not all companies that were targeted were cited.

As part of the sting, state police Mobile Safety Freight Unit officials conducted vehicle safety inspections on trucks while the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration verified that out-of-state movers were registered to engage in intrastate moves.

The sting netted one out-of-state moving company cited in the last Operation Mother’s Attic sting in 2016. Go To Moving & Storage of Staten Island was cited as a second-time offender and assessed an enhanced civil penalty of $5,000, according to an Attorney General's Office release.

By law, all intrastate movers (those performing residential moves that begin and end in New Jersey) must be licensed by the Division of Consumer Affairs and observe statutes and regulations on storage and transportation of household goods, according to the division.

Laws require movers to maintain cargo liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance, and bodily injury and property damage insurance. Movers also must provide the division with proof of vehicle registration and insurance coverage, and must include the mover’s license number on the outside of the vehicle.

Movers also must provide consumers with a written estimate of the costs of the move. There are about 320 licensed public movers in New Jersey.

All movers cited may seek mitigation or request an administrative hearing to contest the violation. The $2,500 penalty for unlicensed operation will be reduced to $1,250 for any mover that applies for a license with the division within 30 days of the violation.

The sting also led to the state police Mobile Safety Freight Unit’s discovery of 29 motor vehicle violations, five of them serious enough to put the vehicles out of service. Three drivers were prohibited from driving trucks away from the scene because of motor vehicle violations, including not having a valid driver’s license or not having a proper license. Two were arrested on outstanding warrants, and one was arrested for possession of under 50 grams of marijuana, according to the release.

Consumer tips

Call the Division of Consumer Affairs at 973-504-6422 to verify the license status of any mover you consider hiring, and to ask whether consumer complaints have been submitted against the mover.

Obtain a written estimate from the mover you select. The cost can be estimated on an hourly rate, by weight and miles traveled, or by cubic measurement.

Never pack jewelry, money or valuable documents with goods to be moved. The mover is not responsible for items of extraordinary value.

Check goods as they are being delivered. If any are lost or damaged, notify the mover immediately. A damage claim can be filed up to 90 days after the move date.

Unless you purchase additional coverage, the mover is required to compensate you only up to $1.00 per pound, per article, for damages.

Businesses cited for not having a license

½ Price Movers, Staten Island, New York

Alpha Moving Service, Highland Lakes

Affordable & Assertive Moving & Storage, Pompton Lakes

Avelar Trucking, Landing

Bin It NJ, North Bergen

Centurion Movers, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

Consider it Done, Toms River

Cruz Moves, Cinnaminson

Enterprise Van Lines, Congers, New York

GDK Logistics or GDK International, Fairfield

H&D Transportation, Clifton

Helping Hands Moving, Newark

I.D. Noble Movers or Noble, Hackensack

Imperial Moving & Storage or Lion's Den Enterprises or Insignia Moving, New York City

J&L Moving, Hillside

Lite Moving, Franklin Square, New York

Moving Good, Little Ferry

Moving Hero, Rahway

Old Country Van Lines, East Newark

Princeton Movers or Great Easter Movers, Brooklyn, New York

Rent a Helping Hand, Pennington

Mundanzas, Dover

Roadway Moving, Elizabeth

Round City Moving, Garfield

Rosie's Master Movers, Cherry Hill

TB Moving or TB Moving & Storage, Brooklyn, New York

We Move You, Maywood

Big Men in Trucks, Sloatsburg, New York

The division also issued warning letters to three licensed public movers for alleged advertising violations:

Admiral Van Lines of Bayonne: was advertising as Hoboken Movers without being licensed to operate under that name.

All Pro Moving of Hawthorne: was advertising as NJ Local Moving and One & Only without being licensed to operate under those names.

Direct Movers of Union City: did not include its license number in its advertisement.

How to find a mover Looking to move? Make sure you take these steps when you're looking for a mover.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com.