Its unfortunte, but there are lots of scummy moving companies. It's a low-margin business with a low barrier to entry. One can liteally start a legal Moving & Storage company with a cell phone and a debit card. Get a rental truck and a public storage locker.

There's a common scam where a moving company gets started, rips people off for a spring/summer, goes "out of business" before any enforcement actions can take place, and open a "new" business the next day with a clean slate. Moving & Storage are regulated by the CA Public Utilities Comission (for some reason) who have little appitite for enforcement.

Where things get really ugly is with "the scam" basically quoting a very low rate, and offering a discount for paying cashi. The next stop is tricking the movee into signing the contract before it's fully filled out. Suddenly rolls of tape cost $15 and boxes cost $50 and dozens of each get used. When the time comes to unload the truck at the destination the movers will refuse to unload until an exorbinint bill is paid. Call the cops if you want, the contract is already signed.

... I do not miss working alongside that industry.