| NEWARK – A Superior Court Judge has ordered that Just in Time Moving & Delivery Service, Inc., Just in Time Moving and Storage, Inc., and their principal, Haliru Gusau, be permanently enjoined from operating as a public mover and/or warehouseman in New Jersey, under terms of a Final Judgment and Order obtained in a summary action brought by the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Judge Thomas J. Walsh also ordered Gusau and his companies to pay $61,390 in civil penalties, restitution, attorneys’ fees and investigative costs after finding that they committed 23 violations of the Public Movers Licensing Act, Public Movers Regulations, Consumer Fraud Act and Advertising Regulations. Gusau, a resident of Roselle, and his companies also must pay $31,187.44 in civil penalties and $21,550.00 in consumer restitution, under terms of a March 29, 2005 Consent Order that he failed to honor. Further, Gusau and his companies continued to advertise, offer for sale, sell and/or perform mover’s services and/or storage services in New Jersey in violation of the Division’s March 30, 2007 Final Order of Discipline.
“Through this action, we have removed a chronic bad actor from the state’s moving and warehousing industry, thereby protecting consumers from fraud and other violations of the law,” Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. “We will not tolerate companies that continue to ignore laws meant to protect consumers.”
“The defendants continued to perform moving and storage services while being unlicensed to do so, and without having paid civil penalties and consumer restitution owed from 2005,” said Steve Lee, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Through enforcement actions like this, we’re working to protect consumers when they hire companies to transport and warehouse their possessions.”
The Final Judgment and Order also provides for the permanent annulment of the corporate charters of Just in Time Moving & Delivery Service, Inc. and Just in Time Moving and Storage, Inc., as well as the immediate shut down of defendants’ website.
The State’s seven-count Complaint alleged that Gusau and his companies violated the Public Movers and Warehousemen Licensing Act, Public Movers Regulations, Consumer Fraud Act and/or Advertising Regulations by:
- Advertising, offering for sale, selling and/or performing mover’s services and/or storage services in New Jersey without being licensed with the Division to do so;
- Advertising, offering for sale, selling and/or performing mover’s services and/or storage services in New Jersey even after the Director of the Division revoked their license to do so;
- Representing on the Just in Time Moving Website that they are licensed to perform mover’s services and/or storage services in New Jersey, when such is not the case; and
- Representing on the Just in Time Moving Website that “Just In Time Moving has been one of the most reputable NJ local moving companies in the Tri-state area for years,” when such was not the case.
Investigator Vincent Buonanno in the Office of Consumer Protection within the Division of Consumer Affairs conducted the investigation of this matter.
Deputy Attorney General Alina Wells in the Division of Law’s Consumer Fraud Prosecution Section represented the State in this action.
Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file an online complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504- 6200.
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