WAXHAW, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE)– A retired judge and his wife say a North Carolina moving company extorted them, held their family’s heirlooms “hostage,” and broke pricey belongings. Their attorney, who will file a class-action lawsuit this week, says at least 20 other customers say the same thing happened to them.
“We felt we were being held up for ransom,” said retired New York judge Jeffrey Spinner.
Last summer, Spinner agreed to pay New Era Relocation around $10,000 to move his wife’s furniture from Waxhaw to New York. After months went by, he says the company demanded around $6000 more to get their stuff back.
“Just like that,” said Spinner. “And they wanted it in cash.”
In a voicemail shared with a man is heard saying he will “put your stuff up for auction.” Spinner says an employee from the company cursed at him when he refused to pay the extra money. Some of the family’s heirlooms date back to the Holocaust, he said.
“We were sick,” Spinner told FOX 46 reporter Matt Granat. “These were items the family has treasured for many years.”
A judge ordered the company to turn over the items. It turns out they were still on the truck, secured only by a single Master Lock that had been cut. The truck was not in a climate-controlled warehouse like Spinner thought he was paying for but rather an unsecured lot in New Jersey, according to the lawsuit. Photos show an antique grandfather clock smashed, a stained couch, and broken furniture.
“How did you feel when you saw your belongings in the state they were in?,” asked Grant.
“I was furious and my wife was equally enraged,” said Spinner. “My late father-in-law used to put on a pair of white cotton gloves when he would wind the grandfather clocks to make sure that nothing got dirty and nothing got damaged. And these people treated them as if they were little more than trash.”
Consumer fraud attorney Susan Chana Lask represents Spinner. Lask will be filing a class action lawsuit against the company in the coming days, she told FOX 46 exclusively.
“This is pure extortion,” said Lask. “And it’s a hostage situation.”
Lask says she has been contacted by more than 20 customers who complain the same thing happened to them. She estimates there could be “thousands” and accuses the company of operating under multiple names.
“We’re going to show that they’ve been doing this to people not just in North Carolina,” said Lask, “but nationwide.”
The Better Business Bureau says New Era Relocation has only been around for a year but already has 18 complaints and an “F” rating. The allegations aren’t surprising, he said.
“That’s their way of doing business,” said BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina president Tom Bartholomy. “Unfortunately.”
New Era Relocation says it’s based in Smithfield. The address is actually a shipping store, according to Google Maps, and appears to be a P.O. Box. A phone number listed for the company has a Florida area code. FOX 46 left a message that was not returned Monday.
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR WALLET
In 2020, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein’s office received 89 complaints against moving companies, including one against New Era.
If you’re moving, you should get and compare several written estimates before selecting a mover. Stein’s office says you should always get the mover’s Motor Carrier number or the North Carolina Utilities Commission Certificate number, make sure they are registered and insured, and see if they have any complaints.
When you select a mover, get a bill of lading, which all movers are required to provide, that spells out the terms and conditions. Interstate movers are required to provide a copy outlining the rights and responsibilities customers have.
The BBB says when you get an estimate make sure the price is “guaranteed.”
“Without that written into the contract,” said Bartholomy, “you’re dealing with a piece of paper and not anything behind it.”
The BBB recommends having movers come to your house to itemize everything. This way a company can’t later say there were more items than you told them about after everything is already packed on their truck.
The AG’s office gives additional advice for anyone hiring a moving company: https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/home-repair-and-products/moving/.
North Carolinians who have a complaint related to a moving company/contract, Stein urges you to file a complaint with his office at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/.
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