Moving Fraud & How to Avoid It

As we head into the busy season for residential moving — which runs from April to September —?the real estate market is seeing record-high home sales. That means that more people are preparing to move, many of which are at risk of getting scammed by disreputable moving companies. Moving scams are up significantly since the start of the pandemic, according to the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). And, per a recent Forbes article, the Better Business Bureau has issued an “F” rating to 1,300 moving companies to date due to unresolved complaints.

Moving is stressful enough without facing fraud, and hearing stories about consumers getting scammed out of money or their furniture being held hostage by unscrupulous operators is really frustrating. The good news is there are many excellent professional moving companies out there — it just might require a little extra legwork to find them.

We recently published a?list of 10 tips to avoid moving scams, and here are a few that I feel are particularly important:?

Watch out for internet “brokers”

The web is full of brokers who promise best prices. However, they are not movers and do not have staff, trucks, facilities, or systems. At best, this can result in a frustrating move experience, and at worst, it could lead to lost money and stolen or destroyed property.

Get estimates early — and get three

Begin early in your move process and make sure that you get three estimates. Some moving companies like ours have AI technology that enables very accurate real-time, virtual surveys of goods. AI-driven tools recognize rooms, furniture, and appliances as well as their cubic dimensions and weights, ensuring more accurate estimates. If a mover doesn’t have a virtual option, then request an in-home estimate from a trained moving consultant.

Validate your mover

Check to make sure the mover is a Certified ProMover that is registered with the?Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration?and has a valid U.S. DOT number. Some companies intentionally use misleading variations of a well-known mover’s brand name for their name, so make sure you are working with the correct moving company.

?Pay a personal visit

If the mover has a facility, then take a tour to gain insights into the company’s professionalism and confirm their legitimacy. Take note of the size of their truck fleet, the condition of their storage facility, and their willingness to accept a personal visit. If the mover doesn’t have a facility, then avoid doing business with them altogether.

As mentioned before, if you want to read the full list, please go to JK’s blog: 10 Tips to Protect Yourself From Moving Scams. And, to learn more about this topic, download and read a free copy of the Better Business Bureau’s report, Know Your Mover.?