If you are planning to move for the first time, then you will have to think about a lot of things. And sometimes this can be really stressful and hard because you don’t know where to begin. This is exactly when you can fall victim to fraudulent movers. In this article, we will tell you the 5 most important ways to tell if a moving company is a scam. That way you can avoid any troubles and head out straight for reliable movers.
Looking for permits is one of the ways to tell if a moving company is a scam
Every moving company that wants to keep its good name will always have every license and permits required by the government to operate a moving business. This is the very first step you can take to recognize a fraudulent moving company. What’s most important here to know is that professionals have a USDOT number. You can put this number on the Department of Transportation website and check if the company in question has any legal issues as well as proper permits. If you happen to find nothing, then avoid them.
A professional moving company will never have any legal issues whatsoever. And most importantly only they will have all the proper licenses and permits needed to work. This way you can avoid any potential fraudulent movers and head on to hire professionals when moving from Washington to California. It is one sure way to keep everything safe when moving. And it is the best step you can take to avoid scams.
They often change the cost of the move
When people say that the moving company charged them more than they initially agreed, then this is a big red flag that you might be dealing with scammers. Although let’s be fair, there are some reasons why the cost of the move could be higher. But, that wouldn’t differ from the original price that much. But, if the price gets too high, then they are scamming you.
The best and the only way to check this out is to read the reviews of their former customers. But, have in mind that these reviews can’t always be a good source of information. But, there are Facebook groups where people discuss the experiences they had with some moving companies. And you could find that interestingly useful. There are few ways you can look out for this, like:
- Reading the reviews on Google reviews, Yelp, Consumer Affairs, etc
- Don’t trust 100% the reviews that the company is leaving for themselves. Most of them can be paid. This is important to remember if you plan on moving to LA from Seattle.
- Read all the reviews, both positive and negative.
If they claim to charge by the cubic foot, avoid them
It is one of the biggest and most common scams you can see. Every professional moving company will tell you that they are charging by the weight of your items. But, never based on how much space they take in the moving truck. So, this is the red flag you are looking for if a company offers their estimate based on the cubic feet. It is fairly easy to avoid this type of scam. Just see how they are charging you and that’s it. This will leave you with enough space to avoid them.
This scam is common when you have to move some big items. And the biggest opportunity for scammers is when you are moving furniture. That is why you should only get professional furniture mover Seattle. If you wish to move your items safely and without trouble then this is what you need to do.
They will ask you to sign a contract or pay before they even give you an estimate
Always have in mind that a professional and legitimate moving company will never ask you to do this. In fact, you won’t pay them a dime until you reach an agreement. They need to have an accurate assessment before they can tell you a price. But, if by any chance a company wishes to skip all of this, then they are surely trying to scam you. That is why it is important to know how to read a contract properly. It will give you a good idea of what to avoid.
The best way to avoid this is to know that a good real company will give you an estimate over the internet or the phone. This is not proof that you are dealing with shady movers. It is just a rough estimate until they come and make a precise one. Most moving companies will send someone to give you an estimate once they complete their inspection. And that is something you need to have in mind to avoid this scam. But, the best way to do this is to straight-up just search for a good Los Angeles Transfer and Storage company. Only then you will know that you are moving with professionals.
There are no third party reviews
Did you know that scammers usually “open” a short-lived moving company? That is right! They do this to avoid any repercussions. Because they wish to avoid any legal issues, they will “close” their moving company even before they reach the authorities. Not only that, but they won’t be reviewed by third-party websites that are specialized in this field.
To be honest, there is no way to avoid this, unless you follow the previous 4 steps. It will give you a good idea of who you are dealing with tho. If they opened only recently and after you check them online, and find they have little to no reviews, then you are probably dealing with scammers. That is why you need to avoid them. This couldn’t be the case with professional companies that offer storage services. In the end, they can close their websites, but they can’t remove the storage units. So, if a company has good storage units Dupont WA to offer, then you are dealing with legitimate movers. And this is one of the perks they have.
These are the ways to tell if a moving company is a scam with ease. By now you know how to recognize scammers as well as how to avoid them. If you want to learn more about it, feel free to visit our blog. Or give us a call.