Money: Sofas Held Hostage!

It's moving season, and scams are on the rise. Here's what to do before you pack

We Americans are a footloose people, with fully 16% of us uprooting each year. About a third of those moves take place while school is out, and Joe Harrison, president of the American Moving and Storage Association, predicts this summer will be busier than usual as unemployed Americans relocate in search of new jobs.

Unfortunately, there will be not only more moves but more scams by moving companies as well. Complaints against the moving industry logged by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an arm of the Department of Transportation, more than doubled between 2000 and 2002. A growing...

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