‘It’s Called Moving Hostage’: Woman Says She Paid Florida Moving Company $400. Then She Says They Held Her Items ‘Hostage’ Until She Paid $3,000 More

Moving is already stressful enough. The longer you live in a place, the more stuff you tend to accumulate, and suddenly you’re faced with packing it all into boxes—or leaving it behind.

Beyond just the logistics, it’s emotional, too. You’re closing the door on a home where you’ve built memories, stepping into somewhere new and uncertain. Packing materials and moving services also add costs up quickly. According to industry data, Americans pay an average of $1,400 for short-distance moves and up to $3,500 for long-distance ones.

And that’s if you’re working with legitimate movers, which, as one Florida woman recently learned, isn’t always the case.

What Is ‘Moving Hostage’?

TikTok user Tina Hitt (@tinahitt) says she and her family were scammed out of thousands of dollars by a moving company. Her video detailing the ordeal has been viewed more than 97,000 times.

She explains that the movers quoted her $400 for the job, which seemed reasonable.

However, things took a turn immediately.

“When they loaded all of our belongings into their box truck and shut the door,” she says, “my mom gets a phone call from the office saying that we owed an additional $3,000.”

Hitt says the company refused to deliver their belongings until the extra money was paid. When her family pushed back, she says the situation escalated.

“They told us the situation was just going to get worse from here,” she says.

She claims the movers threatened to take their items to Fort Lauderdale—hours away from their home in Palm Harbor—and charge storage and additional delivery fees.

According to Hitt, this practice has a name: “moving hostage.” Companies lure customers with low quotes, load up their belongings, and then refuse to release them without thousands more in payment.

‘We Had To Pay In Cash Or Blank Money Orders’

Hitt says the family contacted police, but officers reportedly told them it was a civil matter.

“In front of the cops, the company was demanding we pay via cash or blank money orders,” Hitt says. She claims she had to go to Publix to purchase money orders, which she documented before handing over.

When the movers finally dropped off their belongings, Hitt says it was a disaster.

“Ninety percent of our items were completely damaged,” she says, adding that the movers dropped a safe down the stairs, left it upside down, and even destroyed parts of their old home in the process.

Hitt says they’re now reporting the incident to the Florida attorney general, the Department of Transportation, and “anywhere we can get advice on filing reports.”

A Common—And Devastating—Scam

Sadly, Hitt’s story isn’t unique. Moving scams have been flagged by several governmental and non-governmental organizations.

According to recent data by the Better Business Bureau, in 2024, over 100,000 inquiries on BBB.org were made about movers, and 718 complaints were filed with BBB against movers throughout the year.

Additionally, consumers who fell victim to moving scams and reported them to BBB Scam Tracker in 2024 lost a median of $754.

Just as Hitt described, the scam essentially involves holding your things hostage.

Once the movers load your belongings, they demand thousands more than originally agreed, threatening to keep your items—or even charge storage fees—until you pay up.

How To Find Reputable Moving Companies

If you’re planning a move, experts say the best protection is to research thoroughly before you hire.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, you should get written estimates from at least three companies and avoid movers who only provide quotes over the phone or demand large upfront payments.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General also warns that fraudulent movers often operate under multiple names to dodge complaints.

It recommends checking a mover’s U.S. DOT number, reading online reviews, and confirming their registration in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s database.

You can search for a mover’s registration and complaint history using the FMCSA’s free moving company lookup tool here.

MovingScam.com also has a database of reputable companies you can choose from, depending on the type of service you’re looking for.

Comments Pour In

In the comments, many people said they were well aware of the scam—mostly because it had sadly happened to them.

“This happened to me on my move from NY,” one person shared. “Took me years to recuperate. Nobody would help, police were useless.”

Another wrote, “Was told $2k over phone, then they arrived and said it would be $5k ($1500 for delivery and cash only).

“Was told 4–7 days to deliver, now being told 21 BUSINESS DAYS after expected delivery date,” they added. “On day 12 with no update and none of my stuff.”

“Happened to me when I moved from Delaware to Las Vegas,” a third said. “Quoted $8,000 when they came to drop off, it was now $12,000 or they wouldn’t give us our things.”

Others criticized Tina for not spotting the red flags earlier.

“First clue $400. No one is going to move you directly across the street for that,” one person said.

Another added, “$400 to move should have been a red flag. I’m single and don’t have a lot of stuff anymore and I paid 2k to move my stuff to the other side of town.”

Some Offered Advice For What To Do Next

“File a police report ASAP and get a copy!” one commenter suggested. “I would contact the county as well and ask to speak to a representative or council member.”

BroBible has reached out to Hitt via TikTok direct messages for more information.