Beware of Rogue Movers in Florida

Cousins USA opened in 1996, when brothers Clement and Joseph Pollio started the company, and the Pollio family has run it ever since. In more than 15,000 moves, we have seen just about every trick an unregistered operator can try. Here is what to watch for before you sign anything.

1. Check the Florida registration. Florida law says household movers and moving brokers must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). You can look up a mover on the FDACS website before you book, and a real company will gladly share its number. Cousins USA’s Florida registration is IM256. Moves across state lines also need a federal USDOT number, and ours is 70719.
2. Get a written estimate and contract. Florida law requires a written estimate and a signed contract before a mover starts your job. Walk away from any mover who will not look at your things, will not put a price in writing or says the price will be set after your belongings are on the truck. Florida law also says movers must accept more than one form of payment, so a cash-only offer is a red flag.
3. Know the difference between a mover and a broker. A broker sells your move to another company, often one you have never heard of, and does not own the trucks or do the lifting. Florida now bans brokers from giving contracts that include an estimated moving cost, so a broker quoting you a price is a warning sign. Be sure to ask who will actually show up to move you, and check that company’s registration.
4. Look for a real address and a real fleet. Rogue movers often have no local office, show up in a rental truck, and have reviews that can seem fake. The Miami Herald has also reported that some operators use names close to those of well-known movers. You can drive by Cousins USA at 3551 Northwest 15th Street in Lauderhill and see our trucks and warehouse for yourself.

Rogue movers are a real risk in Florida, and the state is fighting back. On July 1, 2024, new rules in Chapter 507 of the Florida Statutes took effect for moves inside the state. All movers and moving brokers must now:

• Register with FDACS.
• Give clear written estimates and contracts.
• Follow advertising rules that include showing their registration status.

In certain cases, it is also a third-degree felony, with fines up to $50,000, for a mover to refuse a law enforcement order to return a customer’s household goods.

When the rules took effect, the Florida Attorney General’s office said its Consumer Protection Team was taking action against more than 18 movers and moving brokers. The office also said its moving company investigations since January 2019 had led to about $27 million in fines and restitution.

The crackdown reached Broward County in 2025. After almost 100 customer complaints, FDACS released a 69-page administrative complaint listing 22 violations by a group of moving companies based in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.

In those violations, the state found the same pattern again and again. Customers got a low estimate and paid a deposit, the crew loaded the truck, and then the final bill was up to four times higher than the estimate. According to the Miami Herald, a final order fined one company $110,000, told it to stop working as an intrastate mover in Florida, and said it will refuse any future applications.

The takeaway for Florida families is simple. A Florida registration number is not just paperwork. It is the difference between a mover who answers to the state and one who does not.

Cousins USA has served Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties since 1996, from our headquarters and warehouse at 3551 Northwest 15th Street, Lauderhill, FL 33311. We know the high-rises, HOA communities, and busy roads like I-95, I-595, and Florida’s Turnpike well enough to move you safely and legally, no matter where you call home.

Fort Lauderdale: Downtown (33301), Victoria Park (33304), Wilton Manors (33305), 33306, 33308, 33309, 33311, 33312, 33315, 33316, 33334

Lauderhill: 33311, 33313, 33319

Dania Beach: 33004

Miramar: 33023, 33025, 33027, 33029

Boca Raton: 33431, 33432, 33433, 33486, 33487

West Palm Beach: 33401, 33405, 33407, 33409, 33411, 33417

Miami-Dade County: Downtown Miami (33130, 33131, 33132), Miami Beach (33139, 33140, 33141), Coral Gables (33134, 33143, 33146), Aventura (33180)