There are many stories all around the world about people getting scammed by fake moving companies. Some take money upfront for a service, and then never show up at your door to do the move. Some movers take your possessions and never deliver them. Before you start to panic and attempt to conduct an entire move yourself with your car, just take some time to read the tips below on how to spot and avoid an untrustworthy mover:
1. Check out their website and give them a call: In today’s internet age, it’s safe to say that we’ve transitioned from judging the content of a book to judging a company based on how its website looks. If the mover’s website looks really outdated, that should raise a red flag. But, try giving them the benefit of the doubt and give them a call. The representative on the other end of the line should be very professional, and if they are not that should raise another flag. Both these things show that a company does not care about its image, are disorganized, and aren’t very experienced.
2. Ask for professional licenses and see if they’re part of associations: All companies need a license to operate, and in some countries even, movers are specifically required to hold additional certifications. Additionally, moving companies can be part of the International Movers Association which requires moving companies to meet certain criteria before they can be a member. There is also a certification called FIDI, which is the next level up and naturally has more requirements to get certified. You can find this information online.
3. Professional companies ask to do a visual inspection: If the company does not come to your home to do an inspection and give you a proper quote you probably shouldn’t go with them. That said, if you have a small move then it’s okay if they provide a quote over the phone. Additionally, this is a free service and does not put you in an obligation with a company – so if a company says otherwise, just avoid them.
4. Advanced payment: All the above tips can be debated to some extent, but this one is the biggest no-no in the industry. If a company requires you to pay upfront for the move before they actually do it, look for someone else. Even if they tell you to pay a large percentage upfront, that should be a huge warning.
5. Find online reviews: There are tons of local websites where you can find reviews of companies listed. If there really isn’t, you can ask the company to provide you with some references but the best bet would be to find something online because that’s harder to manipulate. If you find a few bad reviews, you’ll need to make the call of whether you want to hire them or not.
This article was provided by MoveSouq.com, an online home services site that helps customers get quotes from multiple movers, and allows them to leave reviews for the company they chose on the site for future customers.
