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Feds say Guilford mover is part of a nationwide scam

GUILFORD —  A federal grand jury has charged a dozen individuals in an alleged nationwide moving scam and one of the moving companies cited is a Guilford ...

GUILFORD --  A federal grand jury has charged a dozen individuals in an alleged nationwide moving scam and one of the moving companies cited is a Guilford mover.

In June, Flagship Van Lines, of Guilford, quoted a California woman $3,100 to move her to Reno, Nevada. Then, in a second phone conversation the day before the move?

"We did an actual box count and then the price went from $3,100 to $3,800," said Susan Hansen, now a resident of Reno, NV.

Then, when the truck was all loaded and ready to roll out, Flagship Van Lines tried to hit her with an additional $300 charge.

"I told them when they picked up my goods, to unload it and that I was not going to pay the extra $300," Hansen explained on the phone Friday.

But, for some reason, she allowed the Guilford company's crew to drive away with her furniture, which she says was not delivered until nearly a month later.

"Half of my stuff is broken, crushed," she said. "Something leaked all over everything."

Threatening customers that they would not get their items back unless they agreed to pay an extra fee was part of the scam, carried out by seven companies, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

"And, here at the Better Business Bureau, we got an influx of over 40 complaints in the last two months," said Luke Frey, spokesman for the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut.

Those several dozen complaints were only complaints about the Guilford company, whose landlord was instructed by the FBI to change the locks on their warehouse.

"All of the things that he had promised me that they would not do, that other companies did do, in fact was everything they are doing to me and other people," said Hansen, who believes she got her items delivered only because she took to social media and hammered Flagship Van Lines, which, actually changed its name to Blessed Movers, LLC on April 23.

The company did not respond to FOX61's call or email requests seeking comment. The federal indictment said the companies accused are responsible for ripping off nearly 1,000 customers between April 2013 and July 2018.

The BBB said be careful doing business over the phone.

Another tip from the BBB: if a company shows up, in a truck that does not have their name on it, be wary. Tenants of the Guilford business park, where Flagship/Blessed is located said the company trucks did not have the company name them.

If you believe you are a victim of this fraudulent activity, please call the Victim Hotline at 1-800-424-9071 or email hotline@oig.dot.gov

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