How to Spot Moving Scams and Protect Yourself

Fraudulent movers and packers can bring massive misery to your relocation projects. If you are unfortunate enough to land with a scam company for transporting your goods from your current address to a new address, you will have to put up with many problems and can even experience monetary loss. To avoid such mishaps, you must learn about the telltale signs of scams in moving and transportation agencies. Let us decode them one at a time.

They will not turn up

The first sign of a fraudulent mover company is that even before they begin the project or do any real work for their client, they will ask you to pay a deposit. No top moving services in Carson will ever ask for a deposit. After taking the deposit amount, the scammers will never turn up at your address on the day of relocation. Hence, before entrusting any company with your project, you must check their license and whether they are recognized by the relevant authorities in the country.

Change the rate later on

This technique is also known as the bait and switch technique. In this technique, the company that will be your service provider will give you a reasonable estimate at the beginning of the deal. However, once they begin the job and load your things into their trailer or trucks, they will increase the service price and charge. They will give various explanations and theories, like that your things are heavier than they thought, and that the route was longer than their estimation, etc. Hence, sign a contract with the movers and packers before you begin the work with them.

Hold your goods as hostage

In this scamming technique, the movers and packers act with an extra advantage once they have your things under their control. The company and their teams will not unload your items from their vehicles till you give them a raise in their service charges. Reputed and respectable agencies and their expert teams will never do such a thing with you.

Hidden fees

One of the pivotal red flags in a moving and packing company is the existence and practice of hidden fees. Top-grade companies will have transparent fee structures, which will give all sub-topics and heads for the benefit of patrons. Fraudulent companies often exhibit hidden charges in the context of additional insurance, packaging materials, and special handling.

Claims of phantom weight

Movers and packers often levy service charges based on the weight they are transporting. Scammers and fraudsters claim to carry phantom weights (false weight claims) to extract more money from their clients. You must be on the lookout for a service provider who is giving you false weight claims to save money and goods.

Red flags at a glance

Although we have discussed the elemental signs of scammers among movers and packers, let us take a look at the telltale points at a glance:

• Scammers can offer a service charge estimate without taking a good look at your things.
• Movers will not give you a confirmed cost estimate and will wait until the last minute.
• The company will insist on a deposit payment
• The company will deal only in cash.
• The company will not have a physical address
• The employees do not respond with the company name over calls or emails.
• The company has no working license
• The company does not provide an official bill.

As a customer, you must stay safe from scammers in the business. Contact Carneys Movers the next time you have a transportation requirement and you plan to shift your base or location.