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A moving company runs a scheme where it holds people’s cherished family heirlooms hostage after loading it onto their trucks, then demands thousand-dollar cash ransoms to release it, a new nationwide class action lawsuit alleges.
Retired New York Supreme court judge Jeffrey Spinner and two others who hired moving company New Era filed an amended complaint in the Eastern District of New York April 13. They are asking for $5 million damages, alleging the movers held their property ransom, then delivered it damaged and with missing items.
Spinner’s experience with the company began in July last year when he hired the movers to shift his belongings — including antiques and irreplaceable family heirlooms from the holocaust — from North Carolina to New York.
Spinner paid a deposit, the company loaded the items in August, and four months later he called to have them delivered. However, he alleges the company told him the balance owed had increased from $9,300 to $10,542.00.
“Next, on or about December 19, 2020, Defendants texted Plaintiff from “Jorge” demanding $6,282.00 more in cash, totaling $15,582.00 in cash as opposed to the $9,300.00 binding price,” the class action alleges.
Spinner says he refused, and kept asking for his property to be delivered. He alleges he then got two calls from a man identifying himself as the general manager at New Era, threatening to auction his items. Spinner filed a lawsuit against the company.
He says, after two court orders, he found his goods “moldy, damaged and destroyed in a dirty trailer on the side of the road at Route 440 South, Bayonne, New Jersey.”
North Carolina Plaintiff Bill Pompliano says he had a similar experience when he hired New Era to transport his items, including items that belonged to his son who died three years ago.
“Defendants made the memory a nightmare by holding his son’s property hostage for more cash then stealing it during the move,” the class action alleges.
Pompliano says he paid over $16,000 for his move. When the delivery driver came to his house, he demanded $1,000 more to release the items, he says. Pompliano paid $500 cash “under duress,” but when he got the delivery many items were missing, including property belonging to his son, a piano, a custom table, a flat screen TV, dressers, electronics, and other valuable items.
“What was delivered was damaged beyond repair,” the class action lawsuit alleges.
Michigan Plaintiff Samantha Schwartz had similar allegations, saying the company withheld her property for over three months, stole most of it and delivered what was left damaged.
The class action says there were 19 other similar complaints about the company to the Better Business Bureau as of February this year.
The residents allege the company operates under different brands and shell companies with names New Era Relocation, Gold Standard Relocation, Moving Solutions, and Relocate US in an attempt to dodge liability. However, they allege the businesses share common officers, managers, owner and “mastermind” Margaret Drayton, employees and phone numbers, and are completely indistinguishable from one another.
“Thus, a declaration and injunction about these companies and Drayton’s involvement is also needed to protect the public from their shell game used to hold property hostage,” the class action states.
It is suing under the Carmack Amendment and general business laws, as well as for disgorgement of profits, fraud, breach of contract and negligence.
The residents seek certification of the class action, an order declaring the alleged practices as illegal, injunctive relief stopping the defendants from engaging in the alleged practices, damages and interest no less than $5 million, attorneys fees and a jury trial.
The group is looking to represent any person who used the companies to move anytime from December 2017, and then had the companies deny liability for property damage by claiming they were only brokers.
This is not the first case of a person suing a company that was meant to take care of their belongings. In 2010, a man described his “horror” experience dealing with a moving company.
What do you think of the allegations against the moving company in this case? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Susan Chana Lask.
The New Era Moving Company Class Action Lawsuit is Spinner et al. v. New Era Relocation LLC et al., Case No. 2:20-cv-06288, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
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38 thoughts on‘Nightmare’ Movers Demanded Ransoms for Customers’ Property, Holocaust Heirlooms, Class Action Claims
Same thing going on here . Nation wide ( never disclosed that they were a broker ) has doubled our cu.ft. When the truck they packed our belongings into wouldn’t hold nearly that much . They tried to bargain with us asking if we like a certain discount!! No scheduled date of delivery and location of belongings has not been disclosed , other than it’s in a warehouse!! From $10,035 – $16,985!!
We encountered the same problem with Nationwide Movers in Florida. Our original contract was $8,700.00 for a 1345 cubic feet truck to move us from Midvale Utah to Mableton Georgia. The movers came in a small moving truck that was partially filled. They demanded more money to secure a larger moving truck. Under duress and demands to catch a flight with my elderly mother I paid them the additional $5,000.00. They divided the load in two smaller trucks and lied claiming that we had more than 400 items that was different from what we reported in our original contract showing 154 items. They took our property to some unknown location and later reported it was in a dispatch place in Las Vegas Nevada. The owner of the third party movers, American Home Movers, started bullying us and sent a threatening email stating our property would be auctioned on line if we did not pay the new price of $17,100.00. He further demanded $10,000.00 must be paid in cash before they moved the truck. It has been 5 months since our entire home content was stolen and held hostage by Nationwide Movers and American Home Movers in two different states. We need to join the class action lawsuit to help stop these fraudulent movers from exploiting more vulnerable elderly. The Nationwide broker refuses to take responsibility for the harassment, exploitation, and undue stress that has resulted in my mother being hospitalized and my stress level being elevated. These criminals lied to BBB stating that the delivery was completed. From April 5 to September 7, 2022 nothing has been delivered.
We are dealing with Adam’s Van lines and having the same experience. Our furniture is still MIA. Not sure when we will get it. The estimate was increased by 65%! No communication from the company, nor any response to our requests for update or any information. Can not find any information about the corporate structure of the company to escalate.
We used another company, that I can’t even afford to reclaim our belongs from, due to the cost of before during and ongoing fees. We have no idea where our belongs are and can’t even request delivery.
Same experience with alias company standard van lines and USA logistics it’s been a total nightmare these company operate as a ring obviously how do we fight to get our money back after being scammed please included me
I was involved with a moving company called moving direct. I was low bald and was told that packing and moving was going to be $10000 more than what I was initially “d.. I reached out online to try and find another moving company and was contacted by a company called safe ship. They make me have that company cease and they took over. They gave me a ” that was a few $1000 less than the initial 26000 I was” d And reassured me that this happens all the time and that I was involved in something called a rescue move. They reassured me, gave me a “that was slightly less than the original” from moving direct and they took advantage of the fact that I was under extreme duress. This company sent a team of movers from rado express who packed my stuff and took it to a warehouse in Lodi California. That was October 9th and I still do not have my belongings. Not only was I lowballed by the 1st company but the 2nd company is holding my goods hostaperiod they told me for $1500 I could expedite the process . Sounds like extortion to me. But they have a clause in the contract saying that every time you call an Ask for your belongings it pushes the delivery date out 7 to 30 business days. So I asked that my stuff be delivered by December 12th because I had to go back to California for some medical care and then again January 12th when I got each time I did that they pushed out my delivery date.
I am a senior citizen I was put in a situation where I was under extreme duress with deadlines to move my home and was completely taken advantage of period the only copy of a contract I got were carbon copies and you can’t even see the content list on the carbon coperiod not only that but I had no time to read a contract because safe ship Pushed me into doing this telling me that I would be completely taken care of that this was a common practice amongst moving companies and thatThey would never do that to a customer.The loopholes especially for senior citizens and all of the contractual jargon will Completely overwhelm especially if you are in a situation where you have to move your Belongings.
It is a travesty that this is allowed to happen especially to a senior citizen this is elderly abuse it is a company that is supported by the Government. I am going to write a letter to Pete Budageig Who is head of the Department of Transportation however I feel a certain futility. My belongings are not something that can be replaced at your local department store this is a lifeti’m of artwork and photographs and the graphs and sentimental value. This practice is just unfathomable in the fact that the government allows this to happen espechile in the case of senior citizens is a travesty . I am at a loss I have been without my belonging since October 9th And other than writing a letter to the Department of Transportation I feel like I have no recourse. They literally have you contractionally no matter how that contract was signed whether it was with a clear mind or under extreme giraffes they have you.. I am just sick about this I have things in my storage that I need for my business that I need for my health that I need for my dog’s health who is a diabetic dog. I have had to put out thousands of dollars to replace things that should have been in my possession within 30 days of my belongings being obtained.
I am sorry for anyone else who has had to have this experience. The situation feels futile and I somehow feel like I am going to lose everything that I have worked my entire life for.
American National Moving was our broker (who did not disclose they were a broker), 11even did the moving. Kinda. They hired yet another company to actually deliver, more than three weeks after pickup. Our quote was 515 cubic feet, and just under $6K. We were moving two desks and small amount of boxes from wife’s mother’s garage to our home. Wife sorted through boxes and got rid of half to reduce cost. Movers showed up from 11even Moving & Storage, loaded truck, and charged mother-in-law another $10,000, claiming inventory was 1,250 cubic feet (in reality it’s 262, we measured).
(Mother-in-law is a senior, wanting to retire and sell the house, which is why she wanted to move those boxes, the men from 11even clearly took advantage of her. She understood she was being charged for space and asked why the did not stack the boxes in the truck. They claimed the boxes could not be stacked as they were fragile and would fall. The boxes arrived stacked when they attempted delivery, of course)
We’ve paid $8K so far, when binding estimate is under $6K. Movers want $5K and now holding our things hostage. Kinda. They’re not really demanding anything… they just vanished. No way to dispute. No idea where truck went. Nobody answers phone or returns calls. We even had officer present at delivery who explained contract to driver, and verified the truck was half empty, and we were one of three houses on that truck, 1,250 cubic feet was physically impossible. Again, we measured. So, that’s where we are now, 5 days since truck drove off with our things.
Also known as real time relocation
They also operated under Prestige Moving and Storage. We hired them in June. They picked up 6 days late, and are now more than 3 months late delivering. They attempted a partial delivery at the end of September, but didn’t have all our stuff and demanded an additional $3000 claiming they picked up more than 18,000 cubic feet from my 900 square foot condo. Just got an email from them yesterday telling me to call, but when you call them they don’t answer or return left messages. Total scam. All of these companies are fronting for Konamic moving and storage. How do I get in on this class action lawsuit?
Gold Standard Relocation is a bait and switch company that needs to be prosecuted. Do NOT do business with them!
What a nightmare. Now, someone please tell us how to join this lawsuit or at least what type of lawyer we need to represent us to file a case. I am in WY. Gold standard sent Quick move LLC to move us. same freakin story as those above. PLUS Uhaul cancelled our reserved truck the day before pickup and we had not other options so we hired them to move us and what did they show up in??? the 26ft uhaul we had reserved that got canceled in Englewood, CO!!! info please.
Please tell me how to get reprentation. We just went through this nightmare moving Colorado to ey. We had a uhaul reserved to move ourselves. They canceled leaving us no other choice. Said there were no trucks. Then good standard sent guys from new jersey who arrived in The 26ft uhau thatl uhaul had reserved for us n canceled. Cost over $10k same threats to keep our stuff. Damafed n missing item n heirlooms. Insurance info was bogus. I tried to file a claim it was not legit at all. We need help!!!
I need help with White Glove Moving and storage in Fort Lauderdale who sent my contract to Prime Moving in Passing New Jersey and than scammed me for a additional 2600.00 dollars
I am in need of help as well, Nationwide Moving (Broker) had Confidant Movers come get my belongings and now 95 days later are trying to extort me for almost 2 1/2 times the contracted estimate. Both these companies are out of Florida Nationwide is Delray Beach, FL and Confidant is Aventura, FL. Both these companies in the extortion business.