Movers try to scam a guy with a hidden $400 fee, then get caught in a tight spot of petty revenge: 'They had him over a barrel'

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
May 1, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Moving day looked a lot different when we were in our 20s. Back then, we would "pay" our gym buddies with a case of beer and free pizza after moving a 2-ton hand-me-down couch and our prized record collection up 7 flights of stairs, but now, nobody wants to risk a herniated disk over a sliver of pepperoni and cheese. Thus, moving companies were born. 

However, strong men for hire aren't immune to the sinister ways of scammy business, which the guy in our next story learned the hard way on moving day. After the moving company loaded all of this man's belongings into the back of their truck, suddenly they changed their tune on their pricing. With his valuables in the back of box truck, the tough guy mover tried to scam him out of $400 to unload the stuff on the other end, claiming it would take two hours longer than expected to off-load the truck. Okay.

Because this thrifty mover had no choice but to pay, he decided to get his money's worth with a boxful of petty revenge. 

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  • 01
    "They told him that he needed to pay an additional $400" ==== ===
    via canva
  • 02
    r/pettyrevenge xboxgamer2122 Moving Day ģ This happened yesterday at my new next door neighbor's townhouse. He bought the house a few weeks ago, and the movers came to unload the truck with his household stuff and move him
    via xboxgamer2122
  • 03
    in. A huge truck pulled into the driveway, in front of his garage. When they opened up the back of the truck and looked at what was there, they told him that he needed to pay an additional $400 because of how much stuff he had, and that it would take two more hours to unload. He protested, but they threatened to leave and he could take it up with the moving company.
    via xboxgamer2122
  • 04
    They had him over a barrel, and took the credit card payment. The movers asked him to open the garage door, so they could take everything into the townhouse, because the front door off to the side had about a dozen steps. There was a car in the garage, and they asked him to remove it. He did, the truck pulled up, and in about an hour everything was unloaded and inside.
    via xboxgamer2122
  • 05
    But he had pulled the car in behind the truck, effectively preventing it from driving out. When they asked him to move it, he told him that his wife had the keys and was out shopping. She would be back in a couple hours, since they had told him
    via xboxgamer2122
  • 06
    and her that they needed a couple extra hours to unload. When they pushed back, he told them that he was paying for two more hours of their time, to it really didn't matter. She walked out the front door two house later and moved her car to they could back out and leave.
    via xboxgamer2122
  • 07
    ghostie1095 12 hr. ago I hope they watched her walk out of the house! 1.1k Reply Share Grouchy-Ad4338 · 11 hr. ago Indeed. And I bet that their jaws must have dropped seeing her :) great revenge
    via ghostie1095
  • 08
    SSSims4 11 hr. ago Beautiful :) Hope those crooks learnt their lesson. Then again, who am I kidding, ofc they didn't, they'll use this scam on the next customer too. So.I hope the next one also with them like they deserve!
    via SSSims4
  • 09
    SIN-apps1 2 hr. ago The "truck is too full" thing is a super common scam. If it wasn't too full loading it, it isn't too full unloading it, charge back that $400 and call the state on these 5 Reply Share SquishMont 1 hr. ago Charge back the whole thing
    via SIN-apps1
  • 10
    ginger610 3 hr. ago I had a similar issue when I used movers for my large items years ago. They over estimated how long it would take to move my stuff so I overheard them talking to the office on the phone and they literally told the movers to move "slower". Well they did so there went their tip I would have given them.. F companies that pull that
    via ginger610
  • 11
    BeautifulPhantom1 11 hr. ago For $400.00 extra, they should have gotten their workout on the stairs. They loaded the truck, should have known exactly how much the customer had and how long it would take to unload before leaving the old place.
    via BeautifulPhantom1
  • 12
    OnlyInJapan99999. 9 hr. ago I always factor in supposed 'extra' fees when moving. So when one honest mover didn't do that, I gave that money to him as a tip, off the books, and remembered his name for the next time I had to move.
    via OnlyInJapan99999
  • 13
    Original_Charity_817 3 hr. ago . edited 3 hr. ago I thought you were going to say the neighbour refused to let them through the garage. They can walk up the stairs for their extra dime. 2 Reply Share Original_Charity_817.3 hr. ago Or better yet, call a few mates over and do it themselves. But take several extra hours to do it.
    via Original_Charity_817
  • 14
    Ditzy_Davros 11 hr. ago I would have said if you want me to move my car, that will be $400. 648 Reply Share Ardzrael 11 hr. ago I would charge them 450.
    via Ditzy_Davros
  • 15
    NPHighview 12 hr. ago Time to do a credit card chargeback. 579 Reply Share Inside Landscape3688 12 hr. ago I think the charge back would be the best. But something tells me someone has already tried this and failed.
    via NPHighview
  • 16
    Special-Painting-203 11 hr. ago A lot of times scammers rely on people giving up. So while it is possible the moving company knows how to convince the bank the chargeback shouldn't happen, it is also entirely possible the moving company knows only about 5% of people will contest the charge, so they can eat the loss when it happens and still make out like the bandits they are.
    via Special-Painting-203
  • 17
    Piddy3825 10 hr. ago I dunno, if it was me, I woulda said the garage door was broken and they had to bring it all in by hand thru the front door. I'd call that getting sweat equity payback...
    via Piddy3825
  • 18
    ADeweyan 9 hr. ago I've used professional movers twice, and both times they pulled something like this. They know you have no choice, so grab some extra cash. It's a racket. If I need to do it again, I'll just budget extra $$ in my head and expect to have to pay.
    via ADeweyan
  • 19
    ihaxr 7 hr. ago It's easy to do chargebacks against scammers... Just lie. Say they already charged your credit card previously and accidentally charged it again. Point out the initial charge and say the merchant claimed they were unable to refund you only the newly charged amount and you would need to be handled with your credit card company. What are they going to do? Tell the credit card company they extort money from you?
    via ihaxr
  • 20
    FuzzyLittleSandwich · 6 hr. ago I've had two moving companies try to pull similar BS. Luckily the last one I was able to fight and they eventually stopped trying to charge me the their "extra," fees
    via FuzzyLittleSandwich

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movers move rip off laborers labor moving day revenge client swindle petty revenge moving company scam reddit thread Reddit business hidden fee
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