Common Moving Scams
As long as people have been moving, there have been moving scams that aim to take advantage of vulnerable people during a period of change in their lives. Recently, however, moving scams have become more common than ever. With the Web, somebody can generate a phony website, buy or rent a couple trucks, and pass themselves off as a legitimate moving company. That is why it is extremely important that you are aware of these scams before you move in order to help you avoid ever having to deal with one.
The most common moving scam is usually one in which there is an unexpected cost increase. What usually happens is that the moving company will offer a low estimate to start with. You will initially be tempted to accept this offer because it will be much lower than any other offer you get. The movers will then pick up your goods and everything will appear to be working smoothly.
On arriving at your new home, however, the movers will assert that you owe them extra money. Often, they will add additional fees and possibly tack on extra charges that you were not expecting in order to catch you off-guard. It is simple to fall for this scam, and it could finish up costing you much more money than you expected to pay in the end.
If the movers use this all-too-common price increase scam, they may threaten to hold your goods in the van until you pay them the money they demand. Even in the event that they don't give you a specific reason for why you owe them extra money, they still may hold your items hostage until you fork over some extra money. Alternately, the mover may offer you a reasonable estimate in order to appear like a legitimate company. However, at the eleventh hour, they could try to extort some money from you, threatening to run away along with your goods until you pay them.
Another common scam is moving companies that appear to be legitimate, but are operating illegally. Although these companies may not always be out to hurt you, you can still be a victim to their illegal operation. For example, if the company is exposed as illegitimate, it could close without warning in the midst of your move and possibly force you to start from the beginning, losing any money you already had invested in the move, and potentially losing your precious belongings in the process.
While the above scenarios highlight warning signs that your movers may be scamming you, there's several ways to keep away from getting involved with an illegitimate company in the first place.
You ought to always get an in-home estimate from any potential movers. This can help you select the approximate cost of the move.
Also, always make positive to do a background check on the company you hire & check in the event that they are registered with the Better Business Bureau.
Keep in mind that these moving scams can happen to anybody at any time and the best way to prevent encountering them for your next move is to always be vigilant and aware. Again, avoid rogue movers at all costs, and only use companies that have a proven nice reputation. Of work, you can always discover a reputable company at Movers.com.
Document every aspect of the move and be positive that you have obtained copies of all the necessary paperwork in case anything goes wrong in the work of the move.
Even if a company operates legally and checks out with all or any of the earlier standards, you still might fall victim to scams.
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