In this video i'll show you the top five moving scams as well as the top 10 red flags
to look for when hiring a moving company. Scam number one: bait and switch pricing.
In this scam, rogue operators provide you an estimate and in some cases
guarantee to beat any other company's quote. However, once they load all your possessions
into their van, they jack up the price, claiming you had more goods than what was on the estimate.
These bad actors will demand additional payment up front.
We're talking thousands of dollars. For customers who refuse to pay,
it's not uncommon for them to outright steal your property, selling it at auction.
Scam number two: spurious extra charges. In this scenario, the mover provides you
an estimate, but then adds as many additional costs as they can think of once they have your
belongings in their possession. Needless to say, this completely
invalidates the original estimate. Typically, the new charges are triple the cost.
If you want your things back, they demand you pay full price
or they will sell your stuff at auction. Scam number three: property weight and size judo.
In this scam, movers use the size and weight of your own property against you.
Most legitimate movers charge you by the actual weight of your property.
Experienced movers who come to your home should be close in their estimate
to what the actual scale will show. This is considered professional.
But the unprofessional, scammy, movers do it differently.
What they like to do is use cubic feet. This way it's easier for moving
companies to overcharge you. I mean, how are you going to know what
the cubic feet volume is for your property? While there are some legitimate movers who
use cubic feet, most states make this measurement outright illegal.
Rogue moving companies get around these laws by providing you an
estimate based on the weight of your property. But once the property is loaded onto the truck,
they'll say you have more cubic feet than estimated.
They'll then charge you thousands of dollars for taking up extra space on the truck.
Another trick involving weight takes advantage of the requirement on interstate movers to weigh
each customer's shipment individually. When they do this, they should weigh the trunk
empty with a full tank of gas, THEN weigh it with your stuff loaded on it to see the difference.
Many of the moving trucks going state to state
have fuel tanks that can hold hundreds of gallons of fuel.
Drivers weighing empty with less than a full tank can easily add over a thousand pounds to
the weight of your property, and you have to pay the cost of that across every mile they drive.
So always ask to see the driver's fuel gauge upon arrival when the trunk is empty.
In fact, you should take a picture of it on your phone.
Scam number four: unwittingly hiring a broker and not an actual mover.
Thanks to the Internet,
it's easy for rogue operators in the moving industry to rip people off.
These scammers have great looking websites, and always offer rosy estimates.
This is either done by phone or through an easy hassle-free online questionnaire.
There's just one problem: you've reached a broker, not a moving company.
Now, there are good moving brokers out there. And if they deal in interstate and
international moves, they're regulated by the federal government and have
specific rules they must adhere to, such as: Being registered with the federal government.
Using only movers registered with the federal government.
Providing customers the movers they use and listing their physical location,
contact information, and the state for which they are broker on their website and on all their ads.
The problem is there are a lot of fly-by-night outfits out there that want to ensnare bargain
hunters with prices that are too good to be true. These brokers then contact unscrupulous movers,
including unlicensed or uninsured movers, to do the job.
They'll then charge you an upfront deposit, sometimes as high as 50 percent,
but that fee isn't an actual deposit on your move.
It's your cost for using the broker. Some brokers will even call you a few
days before to demand extra money because the job is "larger than expected," quote unquote.
Scam number five is less of a scam and more of a generalized problem in the industry.
These would be delivery problems. Late if you're lucky, or not at all.
So it goes like this: the mover has loaded the property on your truck
and promised to deliver it at a specific date. Maybe you get a phone call, maybe you don't.
What becomes certain is the delivery date has come and gone and you still don't have your property.
One possibility: the truck has been impounded by the U.S. Department of
Transportation due to licensing violations. Here's another: the movers tell you your
items are stuck in the truck until they can make three deliveries before yours.
Or how about this one: the mover you've hired quietly closes up shop and abandons
your property in a warehouse. Regardless of the reason,
your items could be as many as several months late in delivery -- or worse, lost for good.
All right then, here are the 10 red flags to avoid being scammed by movers.
Number one: no company information. The mover's website doesn't have
a physical address, the mover's registration, or proof of insurance.
Number two: phone estimates only. Do not hire a company that will not
come to your home to make an estimate. It's important to get an in-home written
and signed estimate by the companies you are considering for the move.
In-home walk-throughs are the best way to estimate the weight of your property
and to make sure no furniture is missing. After the walkthrough, the estimator
will talk to you about the required moving services, dates, and pricing.
The whole process should take 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your home.
The AMSA -- the moving association -- recommends you get no less
than three in-home moving estimates. Virtual walkthroughs are available too.
Red flag number three: demands for a big down payment.
While a small down payment is normal, especially during a busy season, most
companies only charge around 10 to 20 percent. If they ask for considerably more, walk away.
Number four: suspicious bids. Be on the lookout for bids
that are too good to be true. A bid significantly lower than the other
bids is a huge red flag, Also skip past companies that won't put their estimate in writing.
Number five: does not provide you a copy of "Ready to Move."
Interstate movers are required by federal law to provide you a copy of the federal brochure
outlining your rights and responsibilities when you move in and a checklist before you
move. It's called "Ready to Move." Number six: be wary of movers that
tell you the quote will "not change." The truth is mover quotes will change
because the weight of your property may be heavier or lighter than estimated.
Number seven: everything is insured. Typical insurance coverage starts at 60
cents per pound. So if that 100 pound antique clock your grandmother left you gets broken,
you'll only get sixty dollars for the damage. Same with the million dollar Andy Warhol painting.
Number eight: cash only. Choose only movers who
accept credit cards. If the move goes bad, credit card company payments are insured.
Number nine: unmarked trucks. Don't let movers load your property
into an unmarked truck. Unmarked trucks are heavily linked to scams that steal
your property or hold them ransom. Number 10: amazing online reviews.
Be wary of online review sites, as scammers will load up sites like Yelp with fake reviews.
Instead, use the Better Business Bureau's website, or plug a mover's name into a search
engine with words like "complaints" and "fraud." So what else can you do to find a good mover?
The first thing you do is check the mover's license number with FMCSA.
Just remember that all intrastate moves -- moving within the same state -- are regulated
by state authorities, and not the feds. That said, good companies will also still
be registered with FMCS. Next, look up the mover's
Better Business Bureau profile. The BBB has business profiles for
more than 20 000 moving companies. Here you'll find things like their
letter grade, their credentials professional memberships, and of course, customer reviews.
There is also the American Moving and Storage Association.
They created a program called the "Pro Mover Program."
Designed in an effort to crack down on moving fraudsters, moving companies in the program
are subject to a background check, and must meet certification standards.
If you need more information, check the video description where i put all the links.
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And note that i have other videos besides this one.
Thanks for watching, and until next time, i'll see ya.