Moving Scam Red Flags

When it’s time to move, it often does not occur to families that a moving company might scam them. Unfortunately, due to the low barriers of entry to the industry, there are disreputable and illegal movers out there, and even a few trying to actively cheat customers. When selecting a mover, there are a few things that you need to be vigilant of. Keep an eye out for these red flags and you should be able to find a mover you can trust & love!

Unprofessional customer service, or phone etiquette.

This is a red flag from the moment you call. When you call a prospective moving company and the customer service is anything but professional it might be time to do some more research. Customer service is the corner stone to a wonderful move. It starts and ends with customer service representatives.  If there is no answer when you call, and there is no professional voicemail, this could raise concern as well.

No interest in on-site survey inspections or written estimates.

Professional movers will be able to gage if they need to come onsite to see your home to give you the most accurate estimate they possibly can. When the customer service representative speaks with you they will determine the best course of action. Sometimes for smaller moves an over the phone survey will suffice, but in a larger move a professional mover should always come out to survey the property.  Even if the survey is over the phone, it is a red flag if the representative isn’t reviewing an inventory with you or asking detailed questions. Movers that quote a price over the phone without any interest in learning more about what you’re moving should be avoided. You should only choose a mover if they will provide you with a written estimate.

The website isn’t professionally made or doesn’t have a lot of information

A proper moving website should provide you with an abundance of information on the services they provide. A good mover is well aware that the customer will do a great deal of research before selecting a mover. With that being said, a proper moving company will provide you with information on contacts, locations, addresses of their offices and warehouses, and reviews from their customers. The contact information for the moving company should be plastered everywhere on the website, a good moving company will want you to call!

If the mover wants a large down payment before services or only allows cash

When moving companies want cash upfront before they provide any services a red flag should be raised. It is not likely a legitimate mover will ask for more than a deposit upfront when booking a move. When it comes to form of payment, if the mover only allows cash, this is also a signal that their operation might not be completely licensed and legal.

Negative news articles

A simple google search of the company can be quite revealing. If the results are littered with negative press, news and government investigations, and consumer complaint websites, this is definitely a company to avoid.

Need a moving estimate from a company you can trust? Get started by requesting a free estimate online, or give us a call at 800-222-4744.