How to Avoid Moving Scams

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy of flickr.com

Whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, it’s likely that sometime in your life you will fall prey to fraud.  During the past decade, scams have mushroomed out of all proportion.  Whether you are targeted online, on the phone, or in person, most Americans are ill-equipped to deal with the sheer volume of con artists that prowl the country looking tor targets of opportunity.  Sad to say, but the moving and storage industry is not immune to shady operators.  Below are some moving scams that you need to make yourself aware of.

The Cargo Kidnappers

Most people have heard of ransomware, where attacks are perpetrated by cyber criminals who encrypt a victim’s hard drive before demanding ransom. The moving and storage industry has a similar scam which I refer to as cargo kidnappers.  The way this works is, the mover loads your belongings onto the truck, only to demand additional money to unload it. Or, the moving company moves your stuff, only not to your new place, but to their warehouse, where they extort additional fees with the implied threat of selling your belongings if you don’t comply.

The only way around this kind of fraud is to do your due diligence before you hire a moving company.  Google the company name along with the word “complaints” before you sign any contract with a moving company.  Actively search for reviews.  If a mover has perpetrated any kind of fraud, you will find a number of complaint reports and bad reviews from previous customers.  Avoid the Slippery Sam’s who have numerous complaints and 1-star reviews.

Now You See Them, Now You Don’t

Beware of phone solicitations from non-existent moving companies.  With the proliferation of data mining, anytime you plan your move online, you can expect your information to be sold to third parties.  This means once you Google “Local Movers,” don’t be surprised if you aren’t solicited by firms that claim to be able to get the move done for less than the competition.  The way this scam works is that the con artist tells you a story before asking for your credit card number.  Once you comply, that’s the last you will hear from the “mover.”  Your credit card number will quickly be sold to the highest bidder online.

Image courtesy of duckduckgo.com

To avoid this kind of rip off, instead of using Google, which tracks your entries and sells this information to third parties, use a search engine like Duck Duck Go that doesn’t track and sell your info.  Also, never respond to either an email or phone call from a company that purportedly can offer you an unbeatable deal.  The people behind these “companies” usually reside in places where local law enforcement can’t touch them, and the FBI fears to tread.

Overbooked and Out of Touch

A number of shady operators in the moving industry commonly overbook their schedule, particularly if you wish to move on the weekend.  This means they have neither the equipment nor the manpower to safely move your belongings from point A to point B.  For a customer, this means the truck either arrives late or not at all.  When it does arrive, it can be manned by day laborers who have no experience in the moving trade.  This translates into loss or breakage of your property, which is then compensated by paying you 60 cents per pound, as opposed to paying you the replacement value of the items lost or destroyed.

To avoid this problem, do the following:

      1.         Make sure the mover is licensed and insured

      2.         Insist on having your contents insured by the mover (at no extra cost)

      3.         Visit the company location (is the mover working out of his home or a storefront?)

      4.         Ask for and check out local references - anybody can create a website 

  

The Weighting Game

Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

Other underhanded movers will play the Weighting Game by offering you a “Not to Exceed” contract that contains a clause stating the estimate won’t exceed the quoted price UNLESS the weight of your belongings is more than the estimate.  Since a quote from several different movers that base their quote upon weight can differ by several thousand pounds, be careful you don’t fall for this ploy. 

Better to work with a mover that hires out by the hour as opposed to by the pound.  Just make sure that those who work by the hour hustle to and from the truck or you could wind up being hustled by playing the Waiting Game as the crew dawdles to inflate the cost of your move.  (One of the questions you should ask of the three references you request from any mover is how fast did the crew move.)

Never Assume

With more than 40 million moves taking place across the nation this year, it’s a given that no two moving companies are created equal.  Therefore, your best defense against getting scammed is to do your due diligence online and off.  Unlike in the old days when a slippery operator could hide in plain sight, with all the places on the Internet that allow you to check out movers before you ever contact them, it’s amazing that so many people still manage to get sucked in by the bad ones. 

Here's what you need to know to avoid getting ripped off:
      1.    A legitimate moving company will not demand any large deposit before the move begins.
      2,    Always pay via credit card, so you have recourse after the fact. 

3.    Never pay with cash or a check, even if the mover offers a discount.
4.    Read the contract completely before you sign it

When it comes to avoiding moving scams, never assume anything, and above all, vet any mover ahead of time. Because when it comes to getting stung, those that don’t look, sometimes get took. 

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers  has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.