3 Warning Signs of Moving Scams You May Encounter When Moving

When a homeowner knows they’re going to be selling their home and moving to a new one, one of the first thoughts that they may have is how they’re going to move their things to their new home. Hiring a moving company is the easiest way to move, but many homeowners are worried their entire lives may not be in capable hands. And with all the horror stories found online, it’s no wonder homeowners are concerned. Fortunately, scam moving companies typically always have warning signs that homeowners can look for. Here are a few scam warning signs homeowners may encounter when choosing a moving company to hire.

The Moving Company Requires a Down Payment

Scam moving companies are interested in making money above all, and one of the easiest ways to do that is by asking for a down payment or deposit and running once they get it. Many reputable moving companies will not ask for any sort of deposit in order to reserve a moving date; however, some reputable moving companies do. While a down payment can be a red flag, it doesn’t always mean the company is trying to scam people, and homeowners should always do additional research before passing formal judgement.

The Moving Company Agrees to Move Everything Without Seeing It in Advance

When a moving company gives a homeowner a price estimate, they will typically send a representative out to the home to walk through and take inventory of everything that needs to be moved. This is essential because the amount of things and the weight of the things directly influence how expensive the bill will be. A huge red flag of a scam moving company is when they ask the homeowner to describe what needs to be moved and then calculate the cost based off of that alone. It’s impossible for anyone to get an accurate representation of what needs to be moved based solely on a description over the phone, so homeowners should never agree to work with a moving company that says it is.

The Moving Company Changes Names Often

Scam moving companies need to change their name regularly because it of how easy it is to find negative reviews and buyer beware warnings online. All homeowners who are considering using a moving company they aren’t familiar with should be sure to thoroughly research the company and see if it has changed often.  A company changing its name once or twice over its lifetime can be normal, especially if the company was bought out by another or changed ownership. However, what homeowners should be wary of is when a moving company changes its name regularly and often. This most often means the owner of the company is trying to hide its past to trick unsuspecting homeowners of signing a contract with them. 

Desert Shores homeowners should always thoroughly research any moving company they consider working with before moving to Las Vegas, especially if it isn’t a big-name company that doesn’t have decades of history and hundreds of reviews to back it up. It’s always best to err on the side of caution, and going with a big-name moving company that charges a little more can potentially be a safer option (or just help put an anxious homeowner at ease) than a small start-up that hasn’t quite hit its stride yet.