How to avoid moving scams?

Relocations bring enough complications however you decide to approach them and people usually decide to hire professionals movers in order to avoid these complications. Yet, what happens when you end up hiring movers who are actually frauds waiting to rob you? The best thing is to do a background check but how can you do that and what exactly should you do to ensure that your chosen movers are, in fact, licensed professionals they present themselves at? Here is a guide that will help you avoid moving scams in every possible way. 

Is there a big chance of you getting scammed?

Everyone can get scammed and it does not even have to your fault. Surely, you are thinking normally and are not considering that every company you encounter is a fraudulent one. Yet, it is a fact that today, there are too many scams and we must watch out for ourselves. Getting tricked is not so rare anymore and it is not difficult either. Considering how the world is becoming more and more digitalized day by day. The chances of you getting scammed by a fraudulent moving company are bigger than you think. Still, there are certain things you can do to ensure that you hire qualified and licensed household movers rather than harmful and fraudulent ones.

How can you avoid moving scams and ensure your safety?

There are many things you can do to ensure that you are working with proper movers. This is especially important when you are moving an office or handling a relocation that can cost you a lot if something goes wrong. Just imagine a scenario where you are relying on a professional to help you and you end up without money or some very expensive items that you owned. Therefore, in order to avoid these extremely unpleasant situations, you should take certain things into consideration. Keep the following in mind.

Do a background check and be thorough

A background check is the first thing you should do once you see a company that catches your attention. Remember that a company can have great advertisements and might seem just fine but is actually very harmful and is everything but helpful. Therefore, start by checking out their website. They should have several pages that contain marketing content about the services that they, as a company. provide. What they should also have is a logo, a valid phone number, and a reviews section. In this section, you will be able to see the comments and reviews of their former clients and decide whether they seem legitimate to you. Still, that is not all, and do not forget that even those can be forged. Let us continue.

Check whether they are licensed

Every professional and licensed moving company that handles interstate moves must possess a DOT number. Without this number, a scam is very probable and, in the best-case scenario, you will have no guarantee for the safety of your items or the success of your move. This is very often the problem with interstate relocations. People hire a company that seems just fine at first glance but they do not consider the legal requirements that the company must be able to meet. Above all else, people do not know that they have the right to check whether the movers they are working with are licensed. You can. at any time, request to see licenses and other documentation from the company you call to inquire about.

Talk to them in person, if possible

It is easy to scam someone over the phone or by mail. If you request to talk to a representative in person, you might just get a better view of the entire situation. If something, anything at all, seems off, it is probably because it is. You have the right to ask any question you want to. Any questions at all. A professional and licensed moving company will not have a problem with answering and reassuring you in order to persuade you to work with them. If you see that the person you are talking to does not provide you with reassuring and concrete answers, then maybe you should move on. Simply find another moving company to work with.

What kind of payment is an option?

If you talk to the company you chose and see that they are asking you to pay upfront and in cash, turn around and walk away. That company almost certainly is not a licensed one and is even more probable of being a scam than you think. When moving internationally, paying in advance is normal but not for the full price. Also, you should be able to pay by card. If you sense that the people you are in contact with seem mysterious and lack information as well as guarantee, you should definitely refuse to work with them and maybe even consider calling the police in order to prevent possible problems for other people in the future.

Keep all of this in mind and you should be able to avoid moving scams

If you keep all of this somewhere in the back of your mind and use common sense as well, you will be safe and able to avoid moving scams. Of course, there are companies that thrive on perfect scamming and you should not be angry with yourself if you, unfortunately, end up as a victim. What you should do is call the police the same moment you realize that you have been tricked. There just might be enough time to do something about it. Contact a high-quality moving company, stay safe, and you will manage your relocation without the pressure of wondering whether you are safe or not. We wish you good luck.