How to Avoid Moving Scams

The moving industry is one of those that has boomed in the past 100 years. Just like with any other industry, there have been good moving companies that treated their customers with respect. Their mission has always been to provide customers with an immaculate moving service at affordable prices. However, ever since the creation of the moving industry up until now, there have existed untrustworthy moving companies. These are the companies whose goals are far different from the goals of the above-mentioned ones. With them, the goal is to make as much money as possible. The means with which they do it are irrelevant. This means that you should do as much as you can in order to avoid moving scams. We are here to help you outdo just that. Bear with us and find out how to distinguish reliable moving companies from the other ones.

The treats of a reliable moving company and how to avoid moving scams

In order to address the issue of how to avoid moving scams, we need to help you learn how to make a difference between reliable and unreliable moving companies. So, in order to choose a quality moving company the likes of Spyder Moving Services, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

• How long they have been in the business
• Are they members of the moving association?
• Check experiences of previous customers
• Be mindful of the price
• Hire a moving company through a referral

The time spent in the business

One of the first things that you should pay attention to when hiring a moving company and trying to avoid moving scams is to check their background. This means that you should try and find out as much as you can about that moving company in particular. Hiring commercial movers that have been in the business for many years can prove quite fruitful. For example, experienced movers will be able to share some of the tricks of the trade with you. Furthermore, the sheer fact that they have been working for that long time can showcase their reliability.

However, hiring a young moving company has its perks. Newbies in the business can bring some really good aspects to the industry. Plus, you may end up receiving an outstanding move. Still, if you like playing it safe, you should stick with the old dogs for sure.

Check credentials

In order to make sure that that the moving company of your choice is a credible one, you should look to check its credentials. Credible moving companies are going to meet the following criteria:

• In order to avoid moving scams, make sure to hire a bonded, licensed, and insured moving company
• They will have a DOT number that you would be able to check with FMSCA
• Find out whether they are members of the American Moving & Storage Association
• Check their rating with Better Business Bureau

Once you have found out as much as you could from the above-mentioned sources, you will be ready to move on to the next phase in your search for the right moving company.

What are the customer opinions like on the performance of the moving company of your choice?

Is there a better way to find out about the actual performance of local movers Oxford MS than to check the opinions of their peers? So, in order to do that, you have a few resources on your hands. First of all, you should check the comments section on the company’s website. This is a place where customers can leave their opinions for other people to see. Take advantage of the possibility to know what others felt about a moving company and use this information in your favor.

Secondly, you should check third-party websites that provide company ratings. Yelp.com is one of them. The kind of information that you are going to come by on third-party websites is going to be pretty similar to the one on the company’s website. However, there will be no marketing tricks included here, only raw opinions.

Finding movers online

Since everyone knows that we’re living in the era of the internet where everything is just a few taps or clicks away, most people will try to look for movers online in the first place. This is great since you are sitting in the comfort of your home browsing all options out there. You need to be extra careful when doing something like this because there are many so-called movers who will offer some amazing prices, estimates, or services. Be careful about those on the internet since they’re one of the most common reasons why people are getting scammed online. 

Also, think of joining online groups and communities. It’s a great way to discuss other peoples’ opinions and experiences about certain movers. For instance, you can ask something about commercial movers Memphis where someone will contact you and you can ask all the details you were interested in. You can ask about prices, what was the service like, how well did they do their job and what kind of services they offer along with the move.

Trusting reviews and comments – is it a good idea?

Now that you’ve joined online groups and communities, you ask yourself whether you should trust what people are saying. Well, it’s the internet and you need to be careful at all times because you never know who has bad intentions and wants to do something bad. For example, if you see that the profile that you are talking to is empty or has joined recently the platform, it’s highly likely that it’s the scammer. If that happens, we recommend reporting the profile and blocking it right away. Also, in some communities, you can notify other people just so they know. 

The other thing you need to think about is the comments. For instance, if you are talking about movers in Tennessee, and after someone recommends certain movers, you need to go and check their website. If the website looks legitimate, the next thing you need to check is the reviews for them. Of course, we recommend not to listen to so-called reviews that they post on their website in order to promote their services. Try looking for a third-party app that will give you a real picture. 

Be mindful of the price

Price is going to play an important role in making your decision on who to hire to help you move. Obviously, everyone is looking to get an offer that they will not be able to refuse. Still, the price should not be your governing factor. After all, you should remember the old saying: if something is too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. As much as it seems like a good price, you need to keep in mind that you need it might not be a good idea. Do research about moving companies and their prices, so try to find an average price and search for something around it. By doing that, you will decrease the chances of getting scammed. 

For example, if you are searching for residential movers Memphis, you want to check all the movers out there. After you contact them and find out prices, put them down on paper and do the comparison. Once you narrow down your options, you will see what you’re left with and you’ll be able to make an easier choice that fits your needs.  Nevertheless, we are not saying that you should choose the most expensive offer that presents itself. No, you should just make an informed decision on which offer to accept.

Here’s one tip: instead of comparing prices, compare moving services. If one mover offers a very low price for the basic service, while another seems more expensive, but offers more, you might want to go with the other. Why? Well, the difference in the price may be smaller than the difference in the service.

Hire a moving company through a referral

The best thing that you can do in order to avoid moving scams is to hire a moving company through a referral. In the case that you know someone who has moved recently, ask him or her for their moving experiences. If their experience was good and the price affordable, you should, perhaps, get in touch with that moving company. On the other hand, if the moving experience of your friends has not been so good, you will at least know what to pay attention to and which moving company not to take into serious consideration.