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<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tALICIA. ALL RIGHT SHANE THANK YOU. WELL, IT IS A COMMON SCAM HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA WITH THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS, SO-CALLED MOVING COMPANIES THAT USE BAIT AND SWITCH TACTICS AND HOLD YOUR BELONGINGS HOSTAGE UNTIL YOU PAY. TONIGHT, OUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, TERRI PARKER, HAS STARTED LOOKING INTO ONE COMPANY WITH SCORES OF COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA. AND, TERRY, YOU JUST INTERVIEWED A SENIOR IN PALM SPRINGS WHO LOST HER LIFE SAVINGS. I DID. FELICIA. SHE\u2019S TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET THAT MONEY BACK, BUT EXPERTS TELL ME IT\u2019S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE SCAMMERS DISAPPEAR AND START OVER AS NEW COMPANIES. IN FACT, THIS COMPANY\u2019S REAL NAME AND PEOPLE RUNNING IT ARE SO HARD TO PIN DOWN. I\u2019M NOT NAMING THEM FOR NOW. THIS COMPANY. PLEASE PEOPLE, PLEASE, I\u2019M BEGGING YOU. THEY\u2019RE SCAMMERS. YOU. I MEAN, THEY TAKE ALL YOUR MONEY. THIS IS THE BEDROOM. THE WAY THE MOVERS LEFT IT. IT\u2019S A MOVING COMPANY. HORROR STORY IN JULY, ROSE MARIE DE TOLA HIRED A FORT LAUDERDALE COMPANY. SHE FOUND ON FACEBOOK THAT AGREED TO MOVE EVERYTHING IN HER SMALL PALM SPRINGS APARTMENT TO ANOTHER BUILDING LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. THE PRICE, $427. BUT ON MOVING DAY, THE MOVERS REFUSED TO UNLOAD THE TRUCK UNLESS ROSE FORKED OVER A LOT MORE. MIAMI WAS. YOU OWE US $4,400. I WAS DEVASTATED. I\u2019M STILL CRYING ABOUT THIS. IS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? EVERYTHING SHE OWNED, INCLUDING VITAL MEDICATIONS FOR HER. SERIOUS ILLNESSES, HELD HOSTAGE. ROSE CALLED THE COMPANY\u2019S OFFICE IN DISBELIEF. THEY SENT ME A COPY OF THE INVOICE AND EVERYTHING. I\u2019M LIKE, THERE\u2019S NO WAY. WELL, IF YOU DON\u2019T PAY IT, SHE SAYS, WE\u2019RE TAKING YOUR FURNITURE BACK TO FORT LAUDERDALE AND TURN YOU $250 A DAY UNTIL IT\u2019S ALL TOTALLY PAID OFF. I\u2019M LIKE, THERE\u2019S NO WAY, ROSE SAID. THE PERSON ON THE PHONE SAID, OKAY, TO BE NICE, WE\u2019LL TAKE $2,200 IN CASH. SO WITH NO OTHER OPTION, ROSE SENT HER SON TO THE BANK TO RETRIEVE THE MONEY. I HAD LEFT, AND IT WAS $1,800. THAT WAS MY LIFE SAVINGS. THE MOVERS UNLOADED HER BELONGINGS, BUT THREW EVERYTHING INTO HER APARTMENT IN A GIANT PILES, BREAKING MUCH OF THE FURNITURE AND LEAVING THE MESS BEHIND. I COULDN\u2019T EVEN GET ANYWHERE BECAUSE AS FAR AS I COULD GO, HEAVIER STUFF I CAN\u2019T FIND. WHEN ROSE WENT ONLINE TO RESEARCH THE COMPANY, SHE FOUND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM. UNFORTUNATELY, WE SEE A LOT OF SCAMS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA, AND IT\u2019S A LOT OF WHAT WE CALL HOLDING HOSTAGE AND BAIT AND SWITCH. CYNTHIA LAVIN OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAYS UNSCRUPULOUS MOVING COMPANIES ARE HARD TO CATCH BECAUSE OF AUTHORITIES SHUT THEM DOWN. THEY JUST OPENED ANOTHER COMPANY. THEY DISAPPEAR. THEY REALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING THE CIRCUIT OF THE SCAM AND THE THE UNREPUTABLE MOVING COMPANY FOR A LONG TIME. SO THEY DO THIS ALL OF THE TIME AND THEY KNOW HOW TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY AND HOW TO TAKE YOUR MONEY. I FOUND DISCONNECTED PHONES FOR DIFFERENT OFFICES AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES FOR THIS COMPANY. A PUZZLE FOR ANYONE TO PUT TOGETHER FOR ROSE. IT\u2019S A NIGHTMARE. BUT SHE HAS ONE WISH. THEY\u2019RE TAKING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES ALL THEIR MONEY. IT\u2019S NOT RIGHT. THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED. THE BEST THING IS TO RESEARCH ANY MOVING COMPANY BEFOREHAND. IF THEY GIVE YOU A LOWBALL PRICE, IT\u2019S LIKELY A SCAM. AND AS FAR AS THIS COMPANY, I HAVE STARTED DIGGING INTO THE MYSTERIOUS LLCS AND SHADOWY FIGURES BEHIND IT. AND ONCE I IDENTIFY AND CAN TALK TO THEM DIRECTLY, I\u2019LL DO A FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION. IN THE MEANTIME, GO WITH A MOVING COMPANY THAT\u2019S REPUTABLE. SO ROSE\u2019S NIGHTMARE DOESN\u2019T HAPPEN TO YOU.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
South Florida moving scam leaves Palm Springs senior out thousands as belongings held ‘hostage’<\/p>\n
A Palm Springs woman says a Fort Lauderdale mover quoted $427, then demanded thousands more and threatened daily storage fees. Consumer experts say it fits a classic bait-and-switch and hostage-goods scheme.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tUpdated: 6:22 PM EDT Oct 23, 2025\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\tEditorial Standards \u24d8<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\tIt is a common scam in South Florida with thousands of victims: so-called moving companies that lure customers with low quotes, then hold their belongings until they pay much more.WPBF 25 Investigates has started looking into one company with scores of complaints across Florida. For now, we are not naming the company because the owner\u2019s identity and the true legal entity remain unclear.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsRose Marie Ditolla says she hired a Fort Lauderdale mover she found on Facebook to take everything from her small Palm Springs apartment to another building less than a mile away. The written price, she says, was $427.”This company \u2014 please, people, please, I’m begging you. They’re scammers. They\u2019ll take all your money,” Ditolla told WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker.On moving day, Ditolla says the crew refused to unload unless she paid thousands more.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.”‘Ma\u2019am, you owe us $4,400.’ I was devastated. I\u2019m still crying about it,” said Ditolla.Ditolla says the truck held everything she owned, including vital medications for serious illnesses. When she called the company office, she says the person on the phone threatened to drive her furniture back to Fort Lauderdale and charge daily fees if she did not pay.”I’m like, there’s no way. ‘Well, if you don’t pay, it says we’re taking the furniture back to Fort Lauderdale and charge you $250 a day until it’s all totally paid up.’ I’m like, there’s no way,” said Ditolla.She says the caller then offered a “deal.””OK, to be nice, we\u2019ll take $2,200,” DiTolla recalls being told. She says they wanted cash.With no other option, she sent her son to the bank.”It was $1,800, my life\u2019s savings,” she said, adding that she also paid additional cash to reach the amount the movers demanded.The crew eventually unloaded, but Ditolla says they dumped her belongings in giant piles, broke furniture, and left the mess behind.When she began searching online, Ditolla found dozens of similar complaints about the company and multiple addresses that did not add up.”Unfortunately, we see a lot of moving scams, especially in this area. And it’s a lot of what we call holding hostage and bait and switch,” said Cinthya Lavin, of the Better Business Bureau.Lavin says these operators are hard to stop.”They disappear. They really have been working the circuit of the scam and the reputable moving company for a long time. So they do this all of the time, and they know how to avoid accountability and how to take your money,” said Lavin.Parker found disconnected phone numbers, four different “offices,” and several different names tied to the outfit Ditolla hired. It is a puzzle even seasoned investigators are working to piece together.”They’re taking people and families \u2014 all their money. It’s not right. It’s not right. They need to be stopped,” Ditolla said. WHAT YOU CAN DO:\u2022 Get the mover\u2019s legal business name, physical warehouse address, and Florida registration number before you book.\u2022 For moves inside Florida, ask for the company\u2019s Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services registration.\u2022 For state-to-state moves, ask for the USDOT and MC numbers and verify them on federal databases.\u2022 Be wary of very low quotes, big cash demands on delivery, and threats of daily storage fees.\u2022 Pay with a method that leaves a trail, not cash.Parker has begun tracing the company\u2019s corporate filings and the people behind the LLC. Once those identities can be verified and the company is given a chance to respond, we will publish a follow-up investigation.Top Videos:Python Cowboy says tree stand facing Air Force One\u2019s runway may have been there for two years’I’m going to miss everything about him’: West Palm Beach father grieves son killed by gunfireThree middle school students hospitalized after consuming THC gummies\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tPALM SPRINGS, Fla. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n It is a common scam in South Florida with thousands of victims: so-called moving companies that lure customers with low quotes, then hold their belongings until they pay much more.<\/p>\n WPBF 25 Investigates has started looking into one company with scores of complaints across Florida. For now, we are not naming the company because the owner\u2019s identity and the true legal entity remain unclear.<\/p>\n Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News<\/a><\/p>\n Rose Marie Ditolla says she hired a Fort Lauderdale mover she found on Facebook to take everything from her small Palm Springs apartment to another building less than a mile away. The written price, she says, was $427.<\/p>\n “This company \u2014 please, people, please, I’m begging you. They’re scammers. They\u2019ll take all your money,” Ditolla told WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker.<\/p>\n On moving day, Ditolla says the crew refused to unload unless she paid thousands more.<\/p>\n Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n “‘Ma\u2019am, you owe us $4,400.’ I was devastated. I\u2019m still crying about it,” said Ditolla.<\/p>\n Ditolla says the truck held everything she owned, including vital medications for serious illnesses. When she called the company office, she says the person on the phone threatened to drive her furniture back to Fort Lauderdale and charge daily fees if she did not pay.<\/p>\n “I’m like, there’s no way. ‘Well, if you don’t pay, it says we’re taking the furniture back to Fort Lauderdale and charge you $250 a day until it’s all totally paid up.’ I’m like, there’s no way,” said Ditolla.<\/p>\n She says the caller then offered a “deal.”<\/p>\n “OK, to be nice, we\u2019ll take $2,200,” DiTolla recalls being told. She says they wanted cash.<\/p>\n With no other option, she sent her son to the bank.<\/p>\n “It was $1,800, my life\u2019s savings,” she said, adding that she also paid additional cash to reach the amount the movers demanded.<\/p>\n The crew eventually unloaded, but Ditolla says they dumped her belongings in giant piles, broke furniture, and left the mess behind.<\/p>\n When she began searching online, Ditolla found dozens of similar complaints about the company and multiple addresses that did not add up.<\/p>\n “Unfortunately, we see a lot of moving scams, especially in this area. And it’s a lot of what we call holding hostage and bait and switch,” said Cinthya Lavin, of the Better Business Bureau.<\/p>\n Lavin says these operators are hard to stop.<\/p>\n “They disappear. They really have been working the circuit of the scam and the reputable moving company for a long time. So they do this all of the time, and they know how to avoid accountability and how to take your money,” said Lavin.<\/p>\n Parker found disconnected phone numbers, four different “offices,” and several different names tied to the outfit Ditolla hired. It is a puzzle even seasoned investigators are working to piece together.<\/p>\n “They’re taking people and families \u2014 all their money. It’s not right. It’s not right. They need to be stopped,” Ditolla said. <\/p>\n WHAT YOU CAN DO:<\/p>\n \u2022 Get the mover\u2019s legal business name, physical warehouse address, and Florida registration number before you book. Parker has begun tracing the company\u2019s corporate filings and the people behind the LLC. Once those identities can be verified and the company is given a chance to respond, we will publish a follow-up investigation.<\/p>\n Top Videos:
\u2022 For moves inside Florida, ask for the company\u2019s Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services registration.
\u2022 For state-to-state moves, ask for the USDOT and MC numbers and verify them on federal databases.
\u2022 Be wary of very low quotes, big cash demands on delivery, and threats of daily storage fees.
\u2022 Pay with a method that leaves a trail, not cash.<\/p>\n
Python Cowboy says tree stand facing Air Force One\u2019s runway may have been there for two years<\/a>
‘I’m going to miss everything about him’: West Palm Beach father grieves son killed by gunfire<\/a>
Three middle school students hospitalized after consuming THC gummies<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ALICIA. ALL RIGHT SHANE THANK YOU. WELL, IT IS A COMMON SCAM HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA WITH THOUSANDS…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18002,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[14981,28,30,29,14982,14983,14984],"class_list":["post-18001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-bait-and-switch","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-moving-scam","tag-palm-springs","tag-terri-parker"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18001","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18001"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18001\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18001"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18001"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18001"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}