Accused Moving Company Scammer Arrested By Redmond Police

REDMOND, WA — Redmond detectives have made an arrest in connection with a rash of thefts stemming from a Craigslist scam, officials announced Thursday. News of the arrest arrived one day after the Bellevue Police Department flagged a new scam targeting Puget Sound residents seeking moving services via the online classifieds website.

In a news release, Redmond investigators identified the suspect in the case as Thinh Quang Lu, 29, who detectives arrested last Thursday. Investigators accuse Lu of operating "Seattle Moverss LLC," while posing as a legitimate company, Seattle Professional Movers, which detectives said has no affiliation with Lu or involvement with the scam.

Lu faces criminal charges in two Eastside cases.

According to investigators, the scam works by agreeing to provide moving services, loading up the truck with items, then refusing to deliver them unless residents cough up several times the amount of money that was initially agreed upon.

In December, police said a Kirkland couple contacted "Seattle Moverss" to help them move to Fall City. When the moving truck arrived at their new home, the driver refused to pull into the driveway unless the couple paid a significant fee. The couple attempted to transfer the money using the service Zelle, but their bank put a hold on the transfer.

The victims told police that the company refused to return their property until they received payment and threatened to charge additional fees, then stopped returning their calls.

In February, A Redmond couple told police they hired the company after clicking an ad on Craigslist. Investigators said the movers arrived, loaded the truck, and promised to arrive at their new Bellevue home within a few hours. When the truck failed to show, the couple said they repeatedly tried to contact the company without luck.

When the company finally called them back, police said they told the couple the truck had been in an accident. In a later call, the couple was told they would not receive their belongings without paying extra. When they refused to pay, police said the scammers kept an estimated $40,000 of their property.

Redmond detectives arrested Lu as the suspect in the case on March 24 and booked him into the King County Correctional Facility. According to investigators, he stands accused of two counts of criminal impersonation and two counts of theft. Police said he was released from custody the next day. Detectives warn that the scam may still be operating in Puget Sound, and they believe there could be more victims.

The police department also shared a few tips to help protect against similar scams.

Redmond Police Department advises anyone hiring a moving company to check websites like the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to verify permitted moving companies. Be sure to:

• Work with insured and federally registered companies.
• Get estimates from at least three moving companies.
• Consider that if a deal seems too good to be true, it most likely is.
• Finalize and get a contract from the company before they arrive.