Missouri women say moving company stole valuables, held items hostage. Victims include 70-year-old mom. 3 surefire tips to prevent ‘nightmare’ move

“As we were pulling up to my house, I get a texted invoice for nine hundred eighty something dollars,” she said. When she tried to pay through Venmo, the app flagged the transaction as a potential scam, prompting Duncan to redirect her to a Cash App account called “shoefetishbygigi.”

Sensing something was off, Mickles called police. Moments later, she says the movers took off with her inventory - merchandise she says was worth well over the $10,000 she is now suing for.

A second family says the same thing happened

Another victim’s daughter, Teresa Fuller, says her 70-year-old mother found Super Cheap Movers through a highly-rated Google search. What started as a $135-an-hour estimate quickly ballooned into a nearly $800 surprise bill — with the movers allegedly loading only the most valuable items first, then locking the truck.

Again, Duncan insisted that payment be sent to the same Cash App account before releasing the woman’s belongings. When he allegedly demanded even more money at the destination, the family refused, and says the crew attempted to drive off. Fuller blocked the truck with her car until police arrived.

Why moving scams are on the rise

Consumer advocates warn that schemes like these are becoming more common, especially as inflation squeezes household budgets and families search for ‘cheap movers’ online. Fraudsters often:

• Offer extremely low estimates
• Inflate charges mid-move
• Demand payment through untraceable platforms
• Hold belongings hostage until victims pay up

Because many customers are relocating under tight deadlines, scammers bank on the fact that people will pay just to get their possessions back.

How to protect yourself from a moving scam

Before hiring movers, experts recommend:

• Verify licensing. Interstate movers must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) [2]. Even local movers should have state-level licensing.
• Beware of cash-only demands. Venmo, Zelle and Cash App are major red flags for professional moving companies. Legit movers accept cards, checks or invoices.
• Get a binding estimate in writing. Surprise charges are a top complaint. A binding quote protects you from mid-move price hikes [3].
• Check complaints, not just star ratings. Scam companies often game Google reviews. Sort Google reviews by lowest ratings first and look at BBB filings and state court records. The BBB has a scam tracker on its website [4].
• Avoid companies that won’t disclose their real address, ownership or insurance coverage.

‘I’m concerned he’s going to be released because he’s going to flee’

Both Mickles and Fuller say they're relieved Duncan was finally taken into custody, but worry he could be released before their belongings are recovered.

“He has been going long with this deceptive practice of scheming individuals out of their money,” Fuller said.

Duncan is scheduled for a bench trial early next year.

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First Alert 4 News (1); FMCSA (2); FTC (3); BBB (4);