Avoiding Mover Scams

The following is an excerpt from Buying a Home: The Missing Manual.

You may have heard horror stories about scam movers who demand a big deposit and then never show up on moving day or who hold people’s possessions hostage until they pay an amount three or four times greater than the original estimate. Don’t get scammed. If you plan to use a professional mover, follow these tips:

• Choose a local mover. Most scammers operate online only. Work with an established local company whose office you can visit.
• Get in-person estimates. Don’t settle for an estimate that you get from a phone call or by filling out an online form. To get the most accurate estimate, have someone from the moving company look around your home to see what you’ll be moving. Get written estimates from at least three different companies.
• Be suspicious of lowball estimates. If one estimate comes in much lower than the others, it’s probably too good to be true.
• Get referrals and references. If you know someone who’s moved recently, ask which mover they used and what they thought of the experience. And before you choose a mover, ask for references from previous customers, then call and ask whether those customers were happy with the mover’s work.
• Get a list of reliable movers. The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) is the national trade association for professional movers. AMSA’s website (www.promover.org) lists certified ProMovers, who must pass criminal background checks and agree to ethical standards (such as honesty in advertising and all business transactions). You can also use AMSA’s referral service to request quotes from up to six prescreened ProMovers local to your area.
• Check reviews. Consumers use review websites like Yelp (www.yelp.com) and MoverReviews.com (www.moverreviews.com) to rate and write detailed reviews of moving companies they’ve worked with.
• Ask for the FMCSA Rights and Responsibilities booklet. By law, a mover must give you a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” a publication of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). If a mover can’t or won’t provide you with a copy, look elsewhere.
• Don’t hand over a large deposit before the move. Scammers often demand a big chunk of cash up front—and then never appear to move your stuff. It’s not unreasonable for a mover to ask for a deposit of $100 to $200 to cover their costs if you change your mind, but if a mover wants more up front—like 25 percent of the cost of the move—don’t pay it.
• Get everything in writing. Make sure the mover’s estimate includes the cost of the move and any extra charges (for packing boxes, tape, wrapping materials, and so on). Don’t ever sign a blank contract that the mover fills in later.
• Check for past complaints. Contact your local Better Business Bureau to see whether anyone has filed a complaint there about the mover. If you’re moving from one state to another, you can also search for complaints filed with FMCSA (which regulates interstate moves).

For a smooth move, think ahead. Unlike Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, you’re not going to look out the window one day and discover you’re not in Kansas any more. A move happens in stages—and staying on top of those stages at the right time is the secret to a successful move. Use the to-do lists in this section as a starting point for your own, adding any tasks your situation requires.