How to file a complaint against a moving company

Choose the right channel for your problem

• Interstate move, regulated violation (price above legal cap, hostage load, missing BoL, no operating authority) → FMCSA NCCDB.
• Deceptive advertising or fake reviews → FTC consumer complaint plus the platform hosting the reviews.
• Intrastate move (same state both ends) → state attorney general or state moving regulator.
• You want a public record and dispute mediation → BBB.

Channel 1 — FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB)

The NCCDB at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov is the single most important channel for any interstate household-goods move. FMCSA uses NCCDB volume and severity to prioritize compliance reviews and enforcement.

What to include:

• Carrier USDOT and MC numbers (look up on FMCSA SAFER).
• Pickup and delivery dates and addresses.
• The written estimate amount and the final amount charged.
• The specific rule violated, if you know it (for example, 49 CFR §375.407 for the 110% delivery cap).
• Copies of the estimate, BoL, and payment receipts.

Channel 2 — Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

File at ReportFraud.ftc.gov for deceptive practices — fake reviews, misleading advertising, hidden fees, and bait-and-switch pricing. FTC complaints feed Consumer Sentinel, the database used by state AGs and the FBI.

Channel 3 — State attorney general

For intrastate moves and any consumer-protection violation, your state AG is the right venue. Most state AG offices have a consumer-complaint form that triggers a response from the company within 30 days. Some states (California, Florida, New York, Texas) also regulate intrastate movers through a separate state agency — file there as well.

Channel 4 — Better Business Bureau (BBB)

BBB doesn't have enforcement authority, but the public complaint record matters: most carriers respond to BBB complaints because unanswered ones drop their rating, and BBB can mediate refunds.

Channel 5 — Credit card chargeback (Fair Credit Billing Act)

If you paid by credit card, file a written dispute within 60 days of the statement. Card networks routinely reverse moving charges where the carrier cannot produce a signed Bill of Lading matching the amount billed.

The order to file in

1. NCCDB (FMCSA) — same day, for any interstate violation.
2. Credit card chargeback — within 60 days of the statement.
3. State AG / state moving regulator.
4. BBB — for record and mediation.
5. FTC — for deceptive practices and fake reviews.
6. Small-claims court — for unrecovered amounts up to your state's limit.

What "filing" actually triggers

• NCCDB complaints become part of the carrier's public FMCSA record and feed enforcement priority lists.
• State AG complaints typically force a written response from the carrier within 30 days.
• BBB complaints push the company's BBB rating down if ignored.
• Credit card chargebacks reverse the charge in 30–90 days when the carrier can't produce a matching signed BoL.

What to do if the carrier retaliates

Some operators threaten legal action or attempt to flag complaints as defamation. Stating verifiable facts — what you were charged, what was promised in writing, what was delivered — is not defamation. Keep records and continue with your complaints.

For pre-move screening that prevents this whole scenario, see moving company red flags, USDOT number lookup, and spot moving scams. If you're dealing with a confirmed scam now, our moving fraud guide covers the first-48-hour playbook.