Following a Good Morning America report last week of the federal indictment of 14 moving companies in 10 states, the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® (PAAR) is urging consumers to use caution when hiring moving companies.

“If an estimate for moving your possessions sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” says PAAR CEO Dallas Hancock. A pair of Peoria-area consumers have reported problems recovering their belongings from moving companies, she says.

According to the television report, some of the companies charged in federal indictments set up fake websites with false customer reviews. They attract customers with “low-ball” cost estimates. When enough complaints arise, the companies allegedly set up business using new names and websites.

According to Good Morning America, more than 900 consumers have been confirmed victims in the national investigation and more victims may still be identified. In some instances, the moving companies demand more money from their customers before completing the job. In other cases, some possessions were reportedly not recovered.

“This is not a new story,” Hancock says. “It just happened to hit us recently.”