Being charged with last minute fees can really upset you.
This underhand money making scheme starts out very pleasantly. Moving companies will try to give you the cheapest rate to earn your business. In many cases, this is exactly what you would want. You agree to take the lowest bid, and the moving company would come and move your belongings to your new location and when they finished, they get paid the agreed price. While some moving companies are legitimate, there are few that will try to fool you into paying more than you expected.
Crooked movers like this are all over the internet. While you research the moving companies, you will find website that require you to input some of your basic information to get a quote or send a request to get more information. Moving your entire household items is a big deal and can be stressful. You want everything to be just right and finding a reputable moving company is the first step in the moving process. How can you determine the legitimate movers from the crooked ones? There are several things that might signal you that the mover you hired is really a crook.
Weight or Area?
If your mover gives you a quote based on area as opposed to weight, then watch out. This is not the only reason that the moving company giving you a price quote will be dishonest but it is something questionable. If they mover’s quote is based on the weight of your household goods, then they have to have some way to determine that at no cost to you. No laws or regulations in the moving business exist for square footage. You should question a moving company why they are quoting you in terms of area as opposed to weight before you sign a moving agreement. Simply asking this question might scare away a potential mover and save you a lot of time and aggravation. Remember, there are plenty of other moving companies out there that want your business, and many of them are honest.
Always Request a Quote
Be sure that before you sign a moving agreement or pay any money beforehand that you are given a quote for the entire job of moving your things to their new location. Once the moving company agrees on a price to move your things, he has to honor it. Do not be pressured to sign anything. If you think the moving company tried to deceive you, do not hesitate to call the local authorities.
There are lots of consumer fraud schemes out there. It is up to you, the consumer, to educate yourself to recognize what is and is not legitimate. Hopefully our advice will help you minimize becoming a victim to the crime of theft by deception.
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