How to avoid moving scams?

A moving company you will hire must be the one you can trust. But, how to pick one from the thousands moving companies and to avoid moving scams? It is easy to be a victim of fraud when you are not prepared and when you do not have all the information. Moving should be smooth and without stress. And you can accomplish that when you have a good and reliable mover and team. So, prepare for you moving few months before and be ready. Calculate your moving budget so you know how much you can spend. And the rest, you can learn here. So, let’s begin.

Say “no” to the scammers and learn how to avoid them and to protect your home and you too.

The types of moving scams

How can moving company fool you? How can they deceive you unnoticed and fast? More than 35 million moves perform every year in the U.S. The most of them are made without incident, but you never know what can happen. Complaints against movers have increased in a couple of years. So, do your homework and research.

Unseen estimate of your household goods

A moving company who gives you the unseen estimate and also insist on an online inspection of your items is a little bit suspicious. If you think that something is too good to be true, probably it is not true. People typically have more items, clothes, and furniture, than they think they actually have. Even if you are planning on moving across the ocean, you are maybe thinking that you will take just a few items from home. But, do not forget the emotional factor. Good estimators are looking at the size and weight of the belongings. Moving prices are based on mileage, the weight and the number of your goods. Do not trust an estimator who does just a quick walk-through. They should ask you questions about your moving and belongings.

A large deposit

If the deposit is too big, then something is wrong. Or, if they insist on the money. A good and reliable moving company will not demand a huge deposit, or any cash before a moving day. If you are looking for a good and experienced moving company and storage unit for your belongings, Tender Touch is one for you. 

Do not pay a large deposit, and when you do pay your moving costs, do it with a credit card.

The name of the moving company

Pay attention to this detail to avoid moving scams. A moving company should have the name of the company on the moving truck and also employes should have t-shirts with the company’s name. Another important thing is the address of the moving company. Scammers will not have a license and insurance. When the workers answer the phone, they should mention the name of the company first.

Packing costs and other extra fees

You can pack your boxes by yourself, but what if you want to hire a moving company for that job? If you pack your own items, moving company does not have any responsibility for them. So, if you damage something, it is just your fault and if you do not have any experience with packing, this is likely to happen. The most of movers are careful, but some of them just toss items into a box. Ask them about the costs of the moving boxes and packing material. Do not leave this at the end.

The contract

Some scammers have a contract that “they will fill later”. If you see a box that is inventoried as “Office supplies”, the contract is not finished. Unless you packed just notepads, for example. Avoid moving scams by reading a contract from top to bottom. Find a decent mover that you can trust, but after that also read the contract and do not sign anything before reading.

Do not sign anything before you read it first, even if you like the moving company.

Avoid moving scams with simple tips

Now, when you know the most common moving problems, you can avoid them. Beware and pay attention to the details. They are very important.

• Avoid moving scams by paying with a credit card, so you can fight any fraudulent activity if there is a one.
• Get recommendations from your friends or a real estate agent. If they have an experience with moving company and moving, ask them for advice.
• Check the company’s license, insurance, and address. Especially important if you are relocating your offices, then you are not just responsible for you and your home.
• Also, ask for at least three or four references from your area so you can check the authenticity. After that call them and ask for their experience with the company you want to hire. Maybe it sounds rigorous, but moving is not a small thing.
• Ask the moving company for all the extra fees. When the bill comes, you do not want to be surprised by the price and hidden fees.
• Do not sign any blank contract or the contract that is not finished yet. It does not matter if you trust them or you like them, do not sign anything. When the contract is finished, read it a couple of times and then sign it.
• Choose an experienced moving company, such as Tented Touch Moving. Especially if it is a long-distance move.
• Plan everything ahead and make a checklist. Even six months is not too early to start with looking for a moving company.
• Check the moving truck, it can tell you a lot about the business of movers.