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TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced his Economic Crimes Division has reached a settlement with a Jacksonville moving company. The settlement with Father & Son Moving and Storage of Jacksonville, Inc. resolves allegations the company used misleading advertising, failed to deliver furniture and other possessions at the prices promised, and failed to disclose certain items on its contracts. Under the settlement, the company must reform its business practices, including its marketing tactics and the composition of its contracts.

The investigation revealed through dozens of consumers’ complaints with the Attorney General’s office and the Better Business Bureau that the final prices charged at the end of customers’ moves were greater than the original estimates. Consumers were also told they had waived their rights to file claims for losses or damages after signing the “Delivery Acknowledgment” on the Bill of Lading, a standard industry form used by all movers.

As a result of the Attorney General’s investigation, the company has already provided over $3,000 in restitution to consumers. Under the terms of the settlement, Father & Son Moving and Storage must modify its marketing practices and alter its contracts, which will now include providing a full price itemization of the services provided and information on how fuel surcharges are calculated. Additionally, the company will reimburse the state $10,000 for fees and the cost of the investigation, with which the company fully cooperated.

Complaints about scams can be reported by calling the Attorney general’s fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226 or by filing a complaint online at http://myfloridalegal.com. Consumers can obtain more information about how to choose a moving company online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/main/d8da26491da4f6b185256cc9005cb1ac!OpenDocument.