Redmond detectives arrested Thinh Quang Lu, 29, on Thursday, March 24 in connection with a moving company scam that resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars in personal belongings for two local families. Thinh Quang Lu was charged with two counts of Criminal Impersonation in the first degree and two counts of Theft in the first degree.
The moving company, Seattle Moverss LLC, posed as a reputable moving company - Seattle Professional Movers - complete with a business license, address, and phone number. Seattle Professional Movers has no affiliation with Seattle Moverss, LLC or Thinh Quang Lu.
A Redmond couple hired the moving company in February 2022 through an ad viewed on Craigslist.com. The movers arrived the morning of Feb. 10 to load their belongings into a truck and said they would arrive at the new residence in Bellevue within hours. When they didn’t arrive, the couple repeatedly tried to contact the movers, but the company was non-responsive for several hours.
When the couple finally heard back, they were told the movers had been in an accident. Someone eventually called back and said he would not deliver the couple’s belongings without additional payment. The couple refused to pay, and the company stole $40,000 worth of personal belongings.
A Kirkland couple experienced a similar theft in January 2022 and lost most of their possessions. The couple contacted Seattle Moverss, LLC in December 2021 to move them to Fall City in January. The company arrived at the new residence but refused to pull into the driveway unless the couple paid additional fees.
The couple transferred the money via Zellepay.com, but the bank placed a hold on the transfer. The moving company advised them they would keep their property until they received payment and would charge additional storage fees. The company made additional excuses for non-delivery and eventually stopped returning calls.
Lu was taken into custody at King County Correctional Facility on March 24 and released the next day. Redmond detectives believe there are more victims of this fraudulent moving company and suspect Lu is still attempting to operate in the Puget Sound area.
Review tips to protect yourself against moving 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.
Media Contact:
Jill Green, Public Information Officer
Redmond Police Department
jgreen@redmond.gov
425-556-2627