Tips to Avoid Being Scammed by a Moving Company

When you hire a moving company, you expect to be quoted a fare rate, have professional movers show up at your home, and your belongings carefully transported to your new address. Although that is what typically happens, there are a few dishonest companies that do whatever they can to scam people. By knowing what to look for, you can avoid becoming a victim.

• Recommendations – If possible, as people you trust for recommendations. If you have a family member, friend, co-worker, real estate agent, or someone else who has recently had a positive experience with a specific moving company, add that company to your list of possibilities. However, even with a recommendation, you need to do more to protect yourself.
• Research – Use various organizations to research different companies of interest. For example, you can visit movingscam.com, which has more than 375 movers on its “black list.” There are even government resources that can provide a wealth of information, including FMCSA.gov and ProtectYourMove.gov 
• In-Home Visit – At no time should you accept an estimate over the phone based on information that you provide. A reputable moving company will send a representative to your home to make an assessment as to the type and volume of things that need to be moved. Only then can the company provide you with an accurate estimate. 
• Estimates – Rather than choose the first company that you contact, you need a minimum of three estimates. If you notice that one company has a lowball figure, consider this a red flag. A low price does not automatically mean that you are being scammed, but it certainly raises questions as to why the big difference from the other two estimates
• Upfront Money – Never pay the moving cost or a huge deposit upfront. Some companies will request a deposit not more than 25 percent of the total cost of the move, but most reputable companies do not ask for any upfront money. Instead, they wait to be paid once the job is finished.
• Physical Address – Make sure there is a brick-and-mortar address since a legitimate company will have a physical office. To verify this, ask for the address and then drive by the location or map it on Google.
• Price Structure – Avoid a moving company that charges based on cubic feet. Instead, you want to work with a company that bases the price on weight.

For more information on finding a reputable moving company please contact us today at Advantage Moving and Storage.