Rosie’s Master Movers of Cherry Hill was one of 29 unlicensed movers issued a Notice of Violation in Operation Mother’s Act.
A Cherry Hill moving company was one of 29 unlicensed movers issued a Notice of Violation as a result of Operation Mother’s Attic, a state-led undercover sting targeting public movers suspected of operating without licenses.
Rosie’s Master Movers in Cherry Hill was one of the movers cited in the sting.
Each unlicensed mover was assessed a $2,500 civil penalty.
The sting operation occurred over the course of four days in April 2018. Investigators from the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection posed as individuals planning to move from an upscale neighborhood in Montville. The investigators found various unlicensed moving companies advertising online and hired them for their “move.” The movers drove to Montville, expecting to find a luxury home full of items to load, and were instead met by a team of OCP investigators, who issued them NOVs for operating without licenses.
Also awaiting the movers were members of the State Police’s Mobile Safety Freight Unit, who conducted vehicle safety inspections on their trucks, and members of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, who checked for verification that out-of-state movers were registered with the FMCSA to engage in interstate operations.
“An unlicensed moving company can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare,” said Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal. “They’ve been known to hold truckloads of property hostage until the customer pays an extortionate fee. And these unlicensed movers often don’t carry adequate insurance, creating the risk that homeowners will be left high and dry if their property is seriously damaged during the move. That’s why we regulate the industry — and why we crack down on rogue operators.”
“Operation Mother’s Attic is a proactive effort to identify and weed out movers doing business outside the Division’s oversight,” said Paul R. Rodríguez, acting director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “By requiring movers to abide by our state’s public movers’ licensing laws, we are protecting consumers against fraud and other risks.”
Each mover has the option of seeking mitigation or requesting an administrative hearing to contest the notice and civil penalty. The $2,500 civil penalty for unlicensed operation will be reduced to $1,250 for any mover that applies for licensure with the division within 30 days of receiving the NOV.
