How to Avoid Moving Company Scams

The average American moves at least eleven times in their lifetime.  That’s a lot of transporting possessions and changing addresses. To make things easier on themselves, a lot of Americans resort to moving companies to take the stress off their shoulders.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t always do the trick.

A lot of moving companies are discovered to run scams, or dirty tricks, on innocent people.  Although not all moving companies are this terrible, it’s essential to keep an eye out for them.  Here are a few of the possible scams they’ll try- and how to avoid them.

 

Sight-Unseen Estimate

You intimately know every single thing you own.  It’s a part of your daily life, and fills out your house and makes it into a home.  You may feel like you can accurately describe what you own, but no amount of describing can carefully prepare some movers.

Some will promise you the moon when all they have is a golf ball on a string.

Look around, and if an estimate is way too good to be true, more often than not, it’s because they’re hoping to trick you into signing with them and then upping the cost later.  Often when companies try this trick, they’ll hold onto your possessions on lien until you can pay off their enormous bill.

 

Requesting Unwieldy Deposits

A reliable moving company won’t ask for a large deposit before they even arrive.  Good companies will require payment upon delivery.  If you pay ahead of time, there’s no actual guarantee that you’ll get your possessions back on time, or that they’ll be in good condition.  It’s essential to see the move through before you lay down a single penny. 

 

Recent Name Change

Thanks to the double-sided sword of the internet, a bad reputation can stick.

To avoid this, and getting grilled by the Better Business Bureau, several deceitful companies often rebrand to get away with it again.  If you look a company up, and they seem too new of a presence online, or there’s evidence of them changing their company name recently- dig deeper.

Start looking into them as early as possible: while you’re looking at beautiful Albuquerque houses for sale to start your life in, also research movers in your area.  Don’t leave your research up to the last second.

 

Added Fees

Some companies will add on fees at the end that you didn’t see when you signed up.  Whether it’s a protection clause (that should have already gotten covered in the cost), or gas costs that hadn’t been discussed prior, some scammers will nickel and dime you to death.  Keep an eye out for unexpected charges and pay by a credit card so that you can dispute anything that shouldn’t get charged.

 

Conclusion

You have enough fees, bills, and taxes, to worry about with a new home.  A scammer is the last thing you want on your plate. It’s essential to research any company you do business with, check their credentials and reviews online.  By thinking ahead, you can ensure a smooth and trouble-free move.

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