Avoiding Rogue Moving Companies
10 Tips to protect yourself from fraudulent movers.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, over 40 million moves occur every year. The majority of these moves are without incident. But the number of complaints against moving companies has increased over the past decade. It helps to know how to protect yourself from “rogue” moving companies. If you follow these steps, you can reduce your chance of hiring a.
Ten tips on avoiding rogue moving companies:
Pay with a credit card: Credit card payments are insured if something goes wrong. If you pay with cash and get scammed, you may never see that money again.
Confirm Licensing: If you’re moving between states, use the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website to see if the company you want to work with is officially registered.
Understand the terms and conditions: Read the contract and understand the ins and outs before signing. It should be clear how the company calculated your charges.
Keep an inventory of your possessions: Make a list to account for your belongings.
Ask Questions: Ask for clarification if you don’t understand something. If you get pushback for asking too many questions, it’s time to look for another company.
Check with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: This agency is a crucial regulator of commercial trucking and can help you.
Don’t sign a partial or blank contract: Whatever you sign should be comprehensive. Make sure you understand every detail before you sign any contract.
Don’t automatically choose the lowest estimate: It’s normal to want to save money, but you shouldn’t sell the opportunity to handle all your belongings to the lowest bidder. Take time to consider every estimate.
Get References: Ask each moving company you are considering for three local references that recently used their moving services.
Ask your trusted realtor for a recommendation: They will typically recommend a reliable moving company.
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