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MOVING SCAMS

You are staring at the back of a moving truck and wondering how this could happen to you. The police can do nothing to help you. You must decide which is more valuable: your belongings or the outrageous bill the mover is trying to make you pay.

The moving industry is loaded with scammers. All you need is a truck, a truck driver, and a few guys willing to haul furniture for low pay, and you are ready for business. Beware, many people are moving this time of year, and there are people ready to take your money.

How do they do it? First, they get set up online website, or become part of a mover's directory. A potential customer asks for some moving quotes, and gets a list of moving companies. The customer fills out some paperwork online, gets some quotes,and calls up the movers. The movers say all the right things, mention that they will insure the move, have qualified movers, and seem professional. The company might even visit to see all of your furniture to give you a more accurate quote.

On moving day, the moving company goes through some paperwork and mentions that there could be additional charges if he request extra packing. The company gives him a rate list, which seems fair; he approves it and the movers go on with the packing and moving.

The customer arrives at his new home and waits for the moving truck. The moving truck finally arrives and the men start unloading. The driver of the truck tells the customer that it is time to pay the final bill. He goes into his truck and makes a phone call and comes back and tells the customer that he owes $4500. The customer is shockedthe quote was for $1200. Of course, the he says he will not pay and starts asking questions about the charges.

It is about this time that the driver tells the other workers to stop unloading the furniture and locks up the truck. The customer is enraged and asks for a supervisor to call. The negotiating process then begins. The moving company has the bargaining chip they have all the customer's belongings locked in a truck.

After hours of speaking to a "supervisor" and being told that he must pay if he wants your furniture, the customer calls the police. The police soon arrive and tell the customer that they can do nothing to help them. They tell him that he will have to pay first if he wants his furniture, and then take the company to court later. The "supervisor" agrees to a lower amount, like $2,800, and the furniture finally gets delivered. The customer thought he was getting a decent rate on a profession mover. The customer ends up paying 4 times the quote and having the worse moving experience of his life.

How do you prevent this from happening to you? First of all, most people don't know that the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and local state agencies regulate moving companies. Do not hire a mover until you have called the correct regulating agency to make sure they are licensed and that there are no complaints filed against them. If the move is between states, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation at 1-888-368-7238. If you move is within the state you will need to find out which department regulates the moving companies. In California, for example, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates moving companies. They also offer a booklet listing the process the mover should take you through, for example, the paperwork that they need to have you complete.

Do your homework so you are not scammed. Even if you have packed all of your belongings yourself, and you only want some workers and a driver, you still need to check these companies out beforehand. It might take a bit of time investigating at the beginning; however, the alternative could be a risk you do not want to take.

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