I was an unusual child. While other kids were watching cartoons, I was glued to Pat Foran’s Consumer Alert on CTV News and CBC’s Marketplace, fascinated by the way they held shady businesses accountable. As I grew older—and as the cost of living skyrocketed—my passion for consumer protection only grew.
So naturally, when I discovered Scocco Law’s Consumer Protection Legal Clinic, run through Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC), I knew it had to be my first hands-on legal experience as a 1L. The fact that our supervising lawyer, Rocco Scocco, an Osgoode alum, had been featured on Marketplace only reinforced my decision.
The Clinic primarily assists victims of the “rouge mover” scam. The scam is deceptively simple, yet incredibly damaging, and often targets vulnerable groups like students and the elderly. It typically starts with a “too good to be true” quote, luring customers in with the promise of an affordable move. But once the movers take custody of their belongings, the price can easily double or triple without warning. If a customer doesn’t pay, their goods are essentially held for ransom—or worse, thrown away.
Unfortunately, many consumers don’t realize their rights, leaving them vulnerable to these types of schemes. As Scocco explains, “Consumers are often unaware of their rights under the Ontario Consumer Protection Act, and I view this as a failure of our government to not educate consumers. I admire the hard work the students at PBSC’s Consumer Protection Legal Clinic have put towards correcting this shortfall.”
This lack of awareness is precisely what the scammers exploit. The Clinic often hears two things from victims: that they did not know where else to turn, and law enforcement was unresponsive. This leaves many victims effectively stranded, unable to free themselves from a contract that was imposed in bad faith.
The Clinic was recently featured during a segment of Pat Taney’s Speakers Corner on City News, titled “Toronto law students working to help consumers who feel they’ve been ripped off.” Despite a rise in moving-related cases, law enforcement remains largely unresponsive and often continues to treat these cases as a civil matter outside of their jurisdiction.
Scocco stresses that while the sums involved may seem small compared to major commercial disputes, they are significant to families struggling with rent, bills, and mortgage payments. As a result, Scocco says “Consumers need to know how to protect themselves and know how to stand up for their rights so that they do not need expensive lawyers or paralegals to add further cost to what is usually a financially damaging experience. True access to justice for consumers starts with educated consumers.”
To help victims, four student volunteers, including myself, led by our amazing project lead, Sarah McPherson and Scocco, provide free legal information (not advice). We assist with gathering paperwork, drafting demand letters, and raising consumer awareness about these scams.
Every time we help someone who has been scammed by a rogue moving company—someone who’s had their belongings held hostage, lost, or even thrown away—I am reminded why what we do at the Clinic matters. It’s heartbreaking to hear the frustration in our clients’ voices, but what’s worse is knowing that, more often than not, the legal system will not step in to help them.
McPherson has observed this firsthand:“I have volunteered with the clinic for two years now, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The clinic offers support to people who feel as though they have nowhere else to turn. Our student volunteers are the first point of contact for clients, many of whom feel stressed, scared, and taken advantage of by moving companies. It is so important for us to develop trust, as our students often assist with cases all the way from intake to resolution. As law students, this teaches us extremely valuable lessons about client service and access to justice.”
At its core, consumer protection isn’t just about enforcing laws—it’s about access to justice. And while law enforcement may hesitate to act, the Clinic is making a difference, one case at a time.
You can find the Clinic’s feature on Speakers Corner here: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2025/01/13/toronto-law-students-working-to-help-consumers-who-feel-theyve-been-ripped-off/
The Consumer Protection Legal Clinic can be reached at consumerprotection.pbsc@gmail.com.