How to spot moving scams
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Tips on protecting your move – How to spot moving scams
On the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) website you can find a wealth of information that will make you more confident about finding a trustworthy moving company. You will also want to check those companies’ reviews to reinforce your decision. Here are some tips to help you identify brokers, scams, and rogue moving companies.
A new program called “Protect Your Move” has been formed by the FMCSA. Its purpose is to help families, companies, and individuals hire trusted movers during the summer the busy season. We find that there are credible moving companies as well as rogue companies looking to benefit from the moving marketplace. Do you know how to spot their moving scams?
Moving brokers
Brokers sell your information to other moving companies to make a profit. They have no trucks or movers. It’s easy to become confused because a lot of broker sites look identical to moving company websites. You will know that you’ve submitted your information on a broker’s site when many different moving companies call to give you a quote for your move.
Moving scams
Scammers have no plans of conducting your move for you. If you get caught up in there scheme you may end up with no one to assist you on your move date and no funds to hire a credible company. One way to spot a scam is if the representative makes no effort to take an inventory list. Another way to tell if you’re being scammed is if the price seems too good to be true. Ask for the company’s Department of Transportation (DOT) number and if they cannot provide it you most likely found a scam company.
Rogue movers
Rogue moving companies are a mix between brokers and scammers. They load are best known for raising their price to 3 times more than what they quoted after they’ve already loaded your items into their truck. You can spot rogue movers by thoroughly examining the quotes you’ve received from different companies; the price(s) that looks considerably lower than the rest is likely to be a rogue company.
At Excalibur we want to make sure that you are getting the best service for your move. In your search for the right moving company watch out for the warning signs mentioned above. Once you have a list of candidates double check them online and at the FMCSA website.
Contact us today at 1-800-548-6052 or fill out the contact form to find out how we may be able to assist you for any moving, packing or storage needs you may have.
Excalibur Moving and Storage are a top rated moving company serving Maryland, Virginia and the Washington DC areas. We encourage you to take a look at some of our customer testimonials here.
5 months ago
I had such a great experience with my move that I decided to write a review. I don’t usually write reviews (I read a lot of them!) but when I have a really great experience, I feel like it’s important to share it with others. I know nothing about choosing a mover so I had to narrow down my choices based on reviews. Excalibur had really great reviews so I decided to give them a call. I’m so glad I did! They took care of absolutely everything for me and they were so careful with my family’s belongings. Moving isn’t fun no matter what, but it can be made better when you are working with people who care. These guys care! They work fast but are very conscientious to be very careful as they move your stuff. The move went so much faster than expected which was a plus! I also compared several different moving companies and found Excalibur to be the most reasonable. Some of the quotes I received from other movers were “open-ended” meaning that it gave me the impression that my costs could increase if they just decided that it was taking longer than expected or if I had more things than they first thought. The last thing you want is to think you are paying a certain amount only to find out that it’s going to be much higher! Excalibur gave me a price and that is the price I paid. I had a wonderful experience with them so if you need a mover, you should definitely give them a call.
Alicia Bowie
Rockville, MD