Falling prey to dishonest movers is easy
- But so is avoiding them altogether. Many of us jump on deals that are just too good to pass up, whether for groceries or moving services. Rogue movers know this and use false incentives on unsuspecting consumers who are just trying to get a great deal. Although great, almost too good to be true bargains are not uncommon, when it comes to moving, low-ball rates are to be approached with great suspicion.
- You may think you’re getting a deal of a lifetime, only to later find out that you’ve become a victim of scam artists. A professional looking website and a trustworthy voice on the other end of the line, sometimes is all that’s needed to bait someone in.
- Now you shouldn’t stop looking for bargains and only go with the first pricey company you come across, but you should know how to avoid illegal movers that scheme on their clients.
- Once equipped with this useful information you can begin to negotiate with movers of choice, but not before. To help you get started please continue reading our useful tips on Illegal movers: The truth about rogue movers.
Illegal movers: The truth about rogue movers
*No license
A huge red flag you may come across when bargain shopping for movers is their lack of license. A reliable, licensed moving company will have a (business) license that was granted by either federal or state government, in order to legally conduct business to perform moving services.
Licensed movers are monitored by the government, and unlicensed movers are for the most part completely untraceable. Therefore, if they decide to make a run for it with your stuff still on the truck, you won’t be able to receive much support to resolve the situation.
Pro Tip If this information is not already on their website, request the DOT number from your movers, and refer to fmcsa.dot.gov for verification. This free site allows you to quickly and easily check the operating status of your moving company, and any additional records, such as reported crashes and safety ratings.
*No Insurance
A legal moving company will always offer insurance options. If the movers of your choice are not insured, you should walk away immediately. Not only does it mean they are most likely operating illegally, but also your items won’t have any protection whatsoever while in their care.
Professional movers will for the most part provide the following coverage options. Complete value protection, Assessed Value Protection, and Declared Value Protection Based on Weight.
Pro Tip Learn if your homeowner’s insurance cover costs of moving.
*Unrealistically low rates
It is not cheap to operate and maintain a professional, licensed moving company. As a result, movers almost always tend to have a standard, industry rate. If you come across movers that are giving you a much lower rate than the competition, proceed with caution.
Among many other expenses, legal movers pay property taxes, hire expert movers, and regularly service and fuel their trucks. Therefore, extremely low rates won’t help sustain a moving company. It’s just unrealistic!
*No physical location
If a moving company of your choice doesn’t have a verified movers terminal or home base, find other movers! To successfully operate a moving company, property space is required.
Office space, warehouse, and parking are all needed to run a moving company. In addition, if a moving company doesn’t have a physical location, then there is no way you can stay in contact with them other than by phone or email. Neither one is going to be of much use if your movers go M.I.A. all of a sudden.
It’s very easy to disconnect phones and shut down websites. Although not common, such instances do happen more often than one may think. Learning as much as you can about your movers will benefit you tremendously, and give you a peace of mind. Reliable movers are here to lessen the burdens associated with moving, not add to them.