Moving scams have become even more commonplace than ever before. Anyone can create a site, buy and rent a couple of trucks, and they are ready to pass as legitimate moving services. But you need a reliable moving service as it is an integral part of the whole moving process. When you are contemplating a quick move, it is significant to be aware of the most common moving scams and how to stay clear of them. Here are some of the common scams.
1. Demand for a large cash deposit
Although placing security deposit is common at the time of moving seasons or the country areas where there are higher charges levied for residential moving. But you need to perform research before placing down the security deposit because it is one of the more common kinds of moving scams. You must immediately become wary about a moving company when they are asking for large cash deposits. This is because they may just take your money and pull out a disappearing act. You can consult your real estate agent to find a reliable mover for safe payments.
2. Asking for a rise in money
Possibly a more common scam is unexpectedly asking for raised prices. In such cases, this moving company will offer a reasonably low estimate for the move and these rates are lower than other proposals you have received and you will get tempted to accept the offer. After arriving at your house these movers will start asserting that you need to pay more. They will tell you about additional tariffs, charges, hidden fees, and many other reasons for demanding additional money. You need to get an in-home estimate from the prospects for the move. Ask for a binding to ensure that there are no hidden fees.
3. Holding your goods hostage
When the movers use this price-rise scam mentioned above they also may threaten to hold your luggage within the truck unless you pay the extra money they are demanding. Even if they do not have any reason for the additional payment, they are asking they still might hold your goods hostage. These movers many times may seem similar to a legitimate organization however, at the last minute they will threaten to run away with your luggage unless you pay them additionally. You need to verify their track record and check their profile on Better Business Bureau to make sure that there are no complaints registered against them. You can also check out the movingscam.com website to verify if this company is one of the blacklisted moving companies.
4. Illegal operations
Many companies will try to pass off as legitimate organizations even when they are unregistered and operating illegally. Although these movers might not scam you directly, they may not be a legitimate business organization. If their operations get shut down in the middle of the moving process your goods might be held up as evidence. There is no guarantee here that these belongings are going to reach your new place. The mover should be able to provide you their USDOT number. You can verify if their registration is still active on the FMCSA site.
Sometimes the moving company is operating legally and working within the federal standards but still, you may fall victim to a scam. For protecting yourself further from a trustworthy company you need to go through the rates offered carefully, acquire the list of subcontractors used by the mover, go through the documents to find out the additional or hidden charges, and find out about the claims process in case something is damaged. If you live in Chicago, Bloomingdale, and Franklin Park, IL area, a safe alternative to avoid a moving scam is 2 Guys And A Van.
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