15 Red Flags to Watch for When Hiring a Moving Company

How to Spot a Bad Moving Company

Whether you are moving across the country or the street, avoiding moving company scams should be at the top of your mind when shopping around for professional movers. Hiring the wrong company increases your risks of ending up broke, stressed, and with damaged belongings. You can avoid such moving scams if you know what to look for. For starters, moving broker scams lure you in with price estimates that are too good to be true. Before celebrating the bargain, it helps to take a closer look at the company.

15 Red Flags About the Worst Moving Company

While bad movers are everywhere, keeping the following 15 red flags in mind will help you spot them.

1. No Professional Website and Bad Online Reputation

Nothing screams unprofessionalism more than the lack of a professional website. Other companies might also have multiple bad online reviews.

2. Fake OR Not Properly Licensed

If you are looking for a company to help you with an interstate move, the company should have a license from the Department of Transportation. Companies specializing in moving customers within one state should hold an authentic, state-regulated license

3. Their Address Doesn’t Exist

Another way to gauge how reliable a company might be is to check whether its website and other vital documents list its physical address.

4. You Are Refused Proper Insurance

If the mover speeds through when explaining coverage or avoids the topic entirely, avoid working with them.

5. They Demand to Be Paid a Very Big Fee Upfront

Is the moving company demanding a large deposit or the whole estimated amount upfront? The company might be fraudulent

6. The Price Is Much Lower Than the Competition

Nothing draws unsuspecting customers in better than extremely low estimates. While the temptation to save might be strong, always opt for a higher estimate from reputable movers.

7. They Can’t Provide You with References

Most moving companies will always show you positive reviews and references from past clients. Therefore, never trust a moving company that has no one to vouch for its services.

8. They Don’t Provide You with a Bill of Lading

A bill of lading is an official contract between the mover and yourself that the law requires every mover to give to you. Avoid working with a moving company that does not provide you with one.

9. Their Information Is Hard to Find on the Internet

Steer clear of moving companies whose information you cannot find online.

10. They Change Their Name Frequently

Some bad movers escape unhappy customers and bad moving company reviews by changing their names. If you find that the company has had multiple names in a short period, they are not the best option for you.