How to spot and avoid moving scams?

Moving your home is a big task. The entire process may take some of your free time and your organization skills. However, when dealing with moving companies you should be careful because moving scams happen all the time. To avoid this stressful situation, get informed about various moving scams. Take a look at our guide and learn to spot and avoid moving scams from far.

How moving scam artists operate?

There are numerous reliable moving companies that offer top notch service. However, there are also scam artists that can turn your move into a nightmare. Fraudulent movers use numerous tactics to get your money. In most cases, they hold your belongings hostage until you pay a substantial amount to get them back. But even when you pay this amount, nobody guarantees that you will get your belongings back. This situation can get even more complicated in case you have items of high value in your moving cargo. Fraudulent movers thrive in a situation when they obtain items of high value they can sell afterward. For this reason, you may never know if you will receive your belongings back.

Keep in mind that scam artists can be very skillful in their endeavors. Also, they can cover their tracks and make you believe you are dealing with quality moving professionals. That is why you should prepare and learn how to spot and avoid moving scams in advance. Before you even start looking for a suitable moving company, consider the risks and stay alert. This way it will be much easier to spot and avoid moving scams in the first place. Keep reading and find out about the most usual steps that fraudulent movers take before they turn your move into chaos.

Spot and avoid moving scams

The best way to stay safe while moving your home is to prepare in advance. Quality preparation will require you to spend some of your free time researching quality movers in depth. First of all, you will spot and avoid moving scams during your research While you check the moving company in detail, you easily can avoid hiring a questionable moving crew.

You can recognize a moving scam with ease when you know where to look. Fraudulent movers behave suspiciously. If you take time to do check everything these small details will be easy to recognize. Consider that fraudulent movers have similar behavior patterns. Take a look at the most common things fraudulent movers do:

Scam artists avoid giving much information

When you contact a questionable moving company, you may get a feeling that something is wrong. However, you may not be able to put a finger on it exactly. After you contact a fraudulent moving company, the representative on the other line may be a skilled professional. He may give you the usual information about moving services without mentioning specifics.

Unreliable movers usually don’t give out much real information. It will be easy to spot and avoid moving scams if your movers are providing vague answers to your questions. They may avoid talking about the company itself, the official full name and the exact address. On the other hand, the person you talk to may give you a reason why you cannot visit their offices or meet them in person.

Fraudulent movers move all of your belongings

Every reliable moving company is unable to transport all of your belongings by law. There are strict rules about specific items that require a special license for transport. On the other hand, other items may be harmful to the moving crew or cause damage to your moving cargo. Every reliable moving company will provide you will the list of items they cannot relocate. Quality movers will also include the list of these items in the moving agreement.

They will also remind you about the items that can damage your moving cargo if you decide to pack your home belongings by yourself. Some of these forbidden items may include:

• firearms
• plants
• dangerous or flammable items
• perishable foods

You will spot and avoid moving scams if the person on the other line tells you they can transport all of your items. If you hear a potential relocation operator say this to your, be aware. Only fraudulent movers will not care about the items they load onto the moving truck as long as they transport it to an unknown location.

Scam artists don’t show up in person

Most fraudulent movers will avoid giving you the official moving quote in person. However, every reliable moving company will be happy to send a representative to your location to examine your future moving cargo and do an estimate.

Unreliable movers ask for large down payments – It is common for quality movers to ask for a small down payment to reserve a moving date for you during the busy moving season. Meanwhile, fraudulent movers ask for large cash payments in advance. If you are in a situation a moving company asks you for a large down payment, keep in mind that you may be dealing with a fraudulent moving company.

Make sure you hire reliable movers

Reliable moving companies cherish their online presence. They attract customers with real online reviews and numerous clients. Quality movers that have years of experience have websites that offer the most information about the company and their services. When looking for a reliable moving crew, make sure to check the company’s address and license. After that, make sure you read all the online moving reviews available.

When considering a moving company that offers storage services, make sure to conduct more research before you hire any company. It is best to check if the company has the id number at FMCSA. On the other hand, make sure to contact reliable storage professionals and ask for their office address. If you visit a storage company in person you will see first hand how the company operates. A thorough research will help you spot and avoid moving scams when hiring any moving company out there.