DENVER — A Nebraska family’s interstate move turned into a months-long nightmare when they said a Denver-based moving company withheld their belongings for more than three months. In the process, they said they discovered the company was operating under a suspended license.
In May, Sarah Strawn and her family packed up their lives in Nebraska, ready to start a new chapter in Wisconsin. With their belongings loaded into the truck of Good Move USA, which they hired through a broker, they anticipated a seamless transition.
The contract promised their stuff would arrive by June 15. Instead, they said they were left in limbo for 88 days, forced to live without their personal belongings and facing escalating financial demands.
What began as a quoted $9,800 move spiraled into a $21,670 ordeal. Strawn said Good Move USA sent them a picture of the family’s belongings being stored in a Cube Smart facility in Erie, CO.
“I said, 'Where did our stuff go?' And she said, 'Well, it's in a warehouse in Denver.' And I was incredulous. I said, 'No one ever told me it was going to a warehouse in Denver. Why would you do that?'” Strawn said, recounting the conversation with the company.
Despite repeated calls to the company, Strawn received nothing but false promises.
“I made 51 calls, and not all of them went through… They kept telling us we were next in line… You'll have it in a few days. You'll have it next week. I mean, I was told that week after week after week,” Strawn said.
The impact was more than just logistical; it was personal. Strawn, her husband and their children were forced to sleep on air mattresses in their empty Wisconsin home. They bought new clothes, shoes, and school supplies for their children, who had to start school without their familiar belongings.
A suspended operation
9NEWS went to the company’s listed warehouse address, 700 W 48th Ave, in Denver, where neighboring businesses said Good Move USA hadn’t been there for months.
Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) confirmed that Good Move USA’s license to transport household goods was suspended for nearly three weeks starting on Aug. 15, following the cancellation of their insurance policy —making it illegal for them to operate during that time. The suspension occurred just a week before the Strawn family’s belongings were finally delivered.
Faced with mounting frustration, the Strawns took action. They filed a police report for theft in Nebraska, their original place of residence. She also reached out to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association and the Office of the Colorado Attorney General for assistance.
Once the attorney general was involved, Good Move USA delivered the family’s belongings on Aug. 26, but not without one final demand. When the movers arrived, Strawn said they refused to unload the truck without an additional payment.
“I told her, I can’t give you any more. I just bought a house for the first time. I’ve paid more than double for a move to go almost 900 miles. I don’t have anything else to give you,” Strawn recounted. “I actually said, ‘Have mercy on me.’ But the threat was, ‘We’re going to pack up and leave.’ So, I paid the money.”
Even after paying the additional amount, the Strawn family’s nightmare was far from over. When they finally unpacked their boxes, they found many of their possessions broken and shattered.
Strawn family belongings
Recurring complaints
the Strawn family's experience with Good Move USA is not unique. A search of the company on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) reveals numerous complaints against the company, many echoing similar experiences of withheld belongings, extortionate demands for more money, and significant property damage.
Strawn was told that the attorney general's office “will keep watch for additional complaints about Good Move and see if a pattern develops.” Strawn emailed them back saying she believes a pattern already has already been developed.
“By getting my story out there, I'm hoping that other people will sit up and take notice and say, 'Hey, I hired Good move, and I had a similar experience, and I want the AG’s office to take notice,'” Strawn said.
Consumer Protection Gaps
While moving scams are not new, Strawn says the lack of oversight and the ability of companies like Good Move USA to continue operating with suspended licenses point to deeper systemic issues.
“I just want people to be aware of the moving scams that are literally sweeping America right now,” Strawn said.
9NEWS reached out to the attorney general’s office, which said the office can’t comment on investigations or complaints. As of Sept. 5, records show Good Move USA’s license is active again. Despite reaching out to the company several times about claims they were operating while their license was suspended, they did not respond to 9NEWS.
Strawn and her family are still assessing the financial and emotional toll of the situation. Now, they just hope their ordeal serves as a cautionary tale for other families.
“The company Good Move is not so good, in my opinion,” Strawn said.