Actions

Veteran worries that he's a victim of a moving company accused of fraud

Wife's ashes are on moving truck
Posted at 7:49 PM, Jun 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-14 00:15:20-04

Editor's note: Contact7 seeks out audience tips and feedback to help people in need, resolve problems and hold the powerful accountable. If you know of a community need our call center could address, or have a story idea for our investigative team to pursue, please email us at contact7@thedenverchannel.com or call (720) 462-7777. Find more Contact7 stories here.

AURORA, Colo -- A Weld County resident who moved to Texas after his wife passed away worries that he is the latest victim of an Aurora moving company accused of fraud.

Clyde Mayfield paid AM Movers LLC $11,000 to pack, load and move his belongings from Lochbuie, Colorado to Marlin, Texas.

His wife's ashes and all their belongings were among the items packed.

"Every memory that I have of her, and our life together for 34 years, is on that truck," he said.

Mayfield moved to Texas, along with his daughter-in-law and her husband, to be closer to his son.

Right now, their cupboards are bare, and they're using lawn furniture as living room furniture.

Moving Agreement

Mayfield's daughter-in-law, Tammy Nicholas, said the items were picked up in Lochbuie on June 1.

"They said it would take 24 to 48 hours to deliver them," she said. "It's been 13 days."

"We've been told it's in transit.  We've been told that the driver quit.  We've even been told that the owner's father died," she said. 

"If he did die," she added, "my condolences, but that has nothing to do with whether the truck is in transit or not."

Company reaction

Denver7 went to AM Movers listed address, which is an apartment building on South Crystal Court in Aurora. 

The man answering the door asked, "Are you a police officer?"  

When he was told "no," he slammed the door shut.

When contacted by phone, a man with the same voice responded, "No comment.  The customer you are talking about, everything was delivered or is in transit."

Nicholas said, "it hasn't been delivered," and she wants to know where it is.

"My husband is on dialysis," she said. "He needs a bed to sleep on.  He's been sleeping on the floor."

"I'm a veteran," Mayfield said. "I fought for this country and I'm getting screwed by people in this country, and I don't appreciate it."

Previous history

This isn't the first time Denver7 has done a story on AM Movers.

Earlier this month, Carly and Dylan Blair said they planned to move from their Aurora apartment to Alexandria, Virginia. 

They said the initial estimate was $3,800.

They signed a bill of lading with AM Movers, and then everything they owned was put on a truck.

A few weeks later, they got a call and a new bill of lading that said they owed more than $7,000.  

"I don't want anyone else to go through this again," Carly said. "It should stop with us."

AM Movers is registered with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office, but is not listed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

To see if a mover is listed with the PUC, click on this link: http://www.dora.state.co.us/pls/real/PUC_Permit.Search_Form

Moving Tips

The best defense against moving fraud is to be informed.

The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration issued these tips:

  • Get a written estimate from several movers and compare them.
  • Make sure the mover is registered with the federal government and is insured.
  • Check the mover's complaint history in the FMCSA database.
  • Remember priorities.  If you hire based solely on price, you may be sacrificing things that are important, including timely delivery.

For more information on how to protect yourself, click on this link: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move/red-flags.