I Hired Value Added Moving for a Cross-Country Move. Here’s What Really Happened.
A first-hand account of hostage moving, fake reviews, and a company that disappears when you need them most.
If you are planning a long-distance move and Value Added Moving has sent you a quote, I want you to read this first. Not to scare you — but because I wish someone had told me what I’m about to tell you before I signed anything.
My wife and I were relocating from Jersey City, New Jersey to Dallas, Texas. It was not a simple move. My wife was recovering from hip surgery, and timely delivery of her medical equipment was not a convenience — it was a medical need. We needed a company we could trust.
We thought we had found one.
The Sales Process: Everything You Want to Hear
I submitted a quote request online on March 28, 2026. On April 3, I spoke with Ryan James, identified as the company’s Logistics Manager. Ryan was excellent. Personable, knowledgeable, and reassuring. He knew exactly what to say.
Ryan told me:
- We would have a 26-foot truck for our move — door to door.
- Delivery would be 3-5 days (important to me because of my wife’s medical situation)
- There would be no upsells. He would even put it in the contract.
The estimate was $7,300. We signed the contract.
| 📌 What I didn’t know: The contract I signed did not include a single one of those verbal promises. I didn’t catch it until it was too late. |
Move Day: The Bait and Switch
The movers arrived on May 4 — a crew from S&A Moving, a subcontractor I had never heard of. Value Added Moving had sold my move to them without telling me in advance.
Once my belongings were on the truck, they told me the price had changed. I was not reserving a full truck, they explained — I had purchased cubic feet. My belongings exceeded my allocation. The new price: $9,700.
My belongings were on their truck. I had no leverage. I had no choice.
What happened next made it worse. When I tried to pay, they would only accept Zelle. No credit card. No check. Zelle only. I now understand why: Zelle payments cannot be disputed or reversed. They knew what they were doing.
Before leaving, the crew looked at my daughter’s room and decided there was no more space on the truck. Her entire room — furniture, belongings, everything — was left behind. I could see there was room in the truck. They left anyway.
| ⚠️ Red Flag: Any moving company that demands Zelle, Venmo, or cash as the only payment method is deliberately eliminating your consumer protections. This is a hallmark of moving fraud. |
The Ghosting
I immediately reached out to every contact I had at Value Added Moving.
- Ryan James — no response.
- Nicole (Customer Service) — called, never called back.
- Michael (QA Manager) — responded with a text message falsely claiming he had warned me that I had too many items for my truck. This never happened. It was a fabrication designed to shift blame.
This is the moment you realize what Value Added Moving actually is: a booking company whose job ends the moment your items are on a truck. They collect their fee, hand you off to subcontractors, and move on to the next customer.
The Warehouse
We were promised that our truck would be filled and then drive straight to Dallas. Three business days was the delivery window we were given.
What actually happened: our items were taken to a warehouse. They sat there while Value Added Moving looked for the lowest-cost carrier willing to make the delivery. Our belongings were a commodity to be auctioned off to the cheapest bidder.
The delivery arrived on May 18 — fourteen days after pickup. My wife’s medical equipment she needed as soon as we all left New Jersey. All of it, sitting in a hot warehouse for two weeks.
When delivery finally came, the damage was visible: our power loveseat was damaged, along with serving plates and bowls.
How They Appear Legitimate — And Why It’s an Illusion
The Paid PR Articles
Value Added Moving will send you links to press coverage as proof of their credibility. These are paid placements — advertorial content that any company can purchase. They are not independent reporting, endorsements, or awards.
The Facebook Reviews
They will point you to their Facebook page, which has positive reviews. Do this before you trust them: click on the profile of each reviewer. Look at whether the person is actually located in the cities they mention in their review. Look at their account history. In my review of their Facebook page, most of the positive reviews appeared to come from accounts with no verifiable identity — no friends, no photos, no activity.
The “No Upsells” Contract
They will put reassuring language in writing to build your confidence. But the verbal promises — the ones that actually close the deal — are left out. Ryan will not document the full truck, the expedited delivery, or the door-to-door guarantee. Those promises exist only until the moment you sign.
What to Do If You’re Already in This Situation
If you have already booked with Value Added Moving or are experiencing what I experienced, you have options:
- File a complaint with the FMCSA immediately at http://www.protectyourmove.gov. Interstate moving is federally regulated.
- Document everything: photos of items left behind, screenshots of texts, records of calls.
- File with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- File with your state attorney general — both origin and destination states.
- Leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and the BBB so others can find your experience.
What to Look for Before You Book Any Moving Company
- Ask for their USDOT number and verify it on the FMCSA website.
- Ask directly: “Are you the carrier, or will you broker this move to a subcontractor?”
- Demand that every promise — truck size, delivery window, price guarantee — is in the written contract.
- Never pay via Zelle, Venmo, or cash only. Use a credit card so you have dispute rights.
- Check the BBB and FMCSA complaint database, not just Google and Facebook reviews.
Final Thoughts
Value Added Moving is still in business. They are still running ads. Ryan James is still calling new customers and telling them whatever they need to hear.
My wife recovered from her hip surgery without her medical equipment for two extra weeks. My daughter’s room was left in New Jersey so I have to get another truck to finish the move. I paid $2,400 more than I was quoted, with no recourse because they made sure I paid in Zelle.
I am sharing this because the next family they pitch to deserves to know the truth before they sign.
— Alex Branning
Jersey City, NJ → Dallas, TX | May 2026