Moving Scams: How to Spot and What to Do
There are more and more scammers in moving and transportation every year. The phenomenon is associated with high demand for the service, and the desire of customers to save money. There are lots of moving companies in San Mateo https://got2move.com/local/san-francisco-bay-area/san-mateo/ and the great variety makes the choice harder.
Still, there are many fictitious transactions that exist only on paper, theft of goods, and other losses of the clients. Legislation tries to secure transportation and moving, however, not everyone is able to recognize in advance that they have a criminal in front of them.
How to Identify Moving Scammers?
One-day firms are a popular scheme among moving scammers. They are difficult to recognize because there are registration documents and a rented office. The main features that must make you troubled are:
· few employees;
· no accounting;
· no managers;
· you can not find out the location of the cargo;
· the car park is located, according to the owner, in another city or far from the office.
Criminals are developing schemes that allow them to take possession of your property, valuable goods that are easy to sell on the market and abroad. It is very difficult to recognize an experienced scammer. Nevertheless, we are presenting here the list that is worth checking.
Moving Company Take More Money from You than Agreed Or Request Down Payment
What can serve as a signal that you entrust your moving and transportation of goods to fraudsters? For example, a request to transfer the advance payment or the entire amount for the service to a personal card. The scheme is explained by the desire to reduce the tax burden. However, you will not get an opportunity to bring the company to respond in case there will be any issues.
In addition, the trustworthy company will not change the pricing policy or any costs after the agreement has been concluded. Stay aware when you read the contract and make yourself sure that there will be no additional costs in the process of moving go to https://threemovers.com/avoiding-rogue-movers-and-scams/
No Third-Party Reviews or Too Many Positive Reviews
There is a piece of common advice to read reviews and comments of other clients while choosing a moving company. However, scammers often use it in their own way and create hundreds of positive false reviews. Another case is known for one-day firms that do not have any reviews at all.
Moving company in Marin County advise to be careful while reading them and try to believe only those that sound true.
Moving Company Don’t Provide You with an Inaccurate Moving Estimate
A reliable company always provides a full estimation of the service with the pricing and all the details. Thus, you will not be negatively surprised in the midst of the moving process.
If you are not sure about the estimation that you have, do not hesitate to ask additional questions and find out everything that you need to know. When you cannot get this information, it is better not to cooperate with such a company.
Moving Companies Change the Names of Their Company
If the service provider avoids personal meetings with the client, and does not invite for a consultation in the office, maybe, they use rented apartments for several days only. The same thing is with the name. The licensed and regulated company cannot change it instantly.
You should not conclude a contract by mail, demand personal meetings, and check the availability of transport that will carry out the transportation.
Moving Company Isn’t Licensed or Insured
Always check the following:
- Registration documents – they are obliged to provide copies for review to the customer of the service.
- Documents for the main activity, cars, and drivers – if they are not available, there is no landline phone, you should be wary of the vendor.
- Contract for the delivery of goods – scammers, when transporting goods, do not conclude an official contract, motivating this in different ways.
It is impossible to protect yourself from all risks, but if you develop comprehensive measures, and do not use unreasonably cheap services, there is an opportunity not to incur losses.
You should not order moving services if they are 2-5 times cheaper than those offered by competing organizations on the market. A suspicious discount can result in serious losses.
