5 Common Moving Scams To Avoid

Unfortunately, you can’t trust everyone in the world. Most moving companies try their very best to move your belongings safely and respectfully from your old home to your new home, but there are scammers out there who take advantage of moving families. Avoid these big scams that fake ‘moving services’ have pulled in the past.

The Big Deposit

The typical practice for movers is accepting the agreed-upon (and written down) payment upon delivery of everything to the destination. Beware of moving companies who demand a large deposit or down payment up front.

Identity Crisis

Fly-by-night movers are a common scam. If their website is pretty bare, you can’t find insurance or accreditation info, or they answer phone calls with a generic ‘movers’ greeting instead of their name, you have a bunch of red flags. If you have to, check their address to make sure it’s a legitimate storefront.

Phone Guessing Game

Most moving services charge by weight, not distance. Legitimate movers will come to your house and make a detailed survey of what you are going to move to give you an accurate estimate. If your service is giving you a weighted estimate over the phone, that’s a big red flag. They may overcharge you later and claim it’s because they didn’t know the true weight of everything you were moving.

The Sneaky Swipe

This could be just one bad-apple worker, or it could be a scheme throughout the false company. Make sure all your boxes, especially valuables, are accounted for! Sketchy moving services have been caught in the past swiping valuables from jobs.

The Man Of His Word

A moving and storage service is a company. They need paperwork. They need things in writing. If who you’re negotiating with is making verbal deals and promises with you and you don’t see any legally-binding paperwork, do not trust a word they say. Real professional moving assistance will make sure everything is documented.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of creative scams people come up with. Be cautious. Check and make sure your mail is all accounted for, and give notice of your change in mailing address at least two weeks before so your mail reaches you and not any undesirable hands. It’s easy to miss the little details when you’re moving, but don’t let important things like checks, mail, passwords, and personal information get away from you in the chaos. Lastly, always use honest and accredited moving assistance!