Here are the five most important things you can do to protect yourself from the growing threat of becoming a victim of a moving company scam. The moving industry was deregulated in the early 1990s and has been a mess ever since. Scam engines have taken over the industry and honest engines can hardly compete. Still more than 15% of Americans move each year for a total of more than 40 million people. That’s a lot of moving and packing for these bad movers to rip people off. By following a few simple steps, you can get a head start on your moving companies and protect yourself, your family and everything you own.

1. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself when hiring a mover is to hire only movers that are licensed as regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). When dealing with licensed movers, you are entitled to certain rights and responsibilities when moving, as described in this federal brochure (http://www.protectyourmove.gov/consumer/awareness/rights/rights.htm). Your mover must give you a copy of this document before you do. Make sure you are dealing with a real moving company and not movers. Movers are licensed and regulated by the FMCSA, but are not required to have trucks. Most brokers are nothing more than a sales force booking deals for trucking companies. As soon as they have your money, they are no longer interested in you or your stuff. You can read more about the horrors of the moving broker scam at http://www.movingscam.com.
2. The best place to find a moving company is through local resources, such as the newspaper, the yellow pages, or word of mouth. Ask your local friends which moving companies they have used. Once you find a moving company, you should ask for references. Don’t trust the garbage you read on someone’s website. Ask for a phone number from the last 3 customers. If they don’t give you a phone number, ask them to call you. If they’re not willing to do that, you can expect their service to be less than spectacular. Be sure to get a binding written estimate based on a 400n tariff weight and not cubic feet. Paying for the actual weight of your household items can save you money. Why let a crooked mover pack your stuff in boxes when they charge you by the cubic foot? They love the full service package and change jobs because they charge more. Be armed with knowledge like the one available to you at http://www.protectyourmove.gov and know your rights.
3. The safest way to move your things is to move yourself. Self-service movers have become quite popular in recent years and companies that offer various self-service movers are quickly becoming industry leaders. Moving trucks and drivers are as popular as ever with over 1 million moving trucks rented each year. Moving containers are a new service that provides a storage container delivered to your home. You can pack at your own pace while the box stays close to home safe and secure. Once you’ve finished packing, your moving capsule can be delivered to your new home in the same city or in another state. If you are not interested in loading or driving a truck, you may prefer to hire a truck and driver with you to pack and load, they handle moving services. Packing supplies and services add quite a bit to the cost of your move. Save money by packing your own things and make sure they are secure before you pack. Be careful, scammers like to blame you for damage to already packed items.
4. Loading and unloading are the most dangerous moments for you and your things. Packing your own things is the safest way, but if you use a moving service to pack your things, make sure they use quality packing materials and supplies. Some moving companies have special rolls of tape that are shorter and cheaper than regular rolls. They use cheap moving boxes that may not hold your stuff and may pack boxes in an attempt to use more boxes and truck space. Moving blankets, hand trucks, and wheel dollies are tools of the trade for a professional mover, but foreign objects to rip off movers. Don’t let them break your furniture and have them pack and load your things properly. Most moving companies will not be qualified to do things like set up your electrical equipment or some appliances. Take care of these things yourself to make sure your home is safe from any potential damage.
5. After the mover has unpacked and delivered your goods, you should immediately check for obvious damage. By law, you have 90 days to file a claim with the mover, but it’s always best to do so right away. Offer photographic or video evidence of the contents of your home before and after the move as evidence of any damage or missing items. Lost or stolen items should be reported to the police immediately. No matter what the mover says, you have the right to complain that your items don’t arrive as they were supposed to. File any complaints with the mover immediately and follow up, if they resist take it to the FMCSA. Obviously, this is not a complete list of things to do before hiring a moving company. Whenever you hire a company to provide you with a service, you should use common sense and good judgment. When you’re packing up everything you own and putting it in a truck for a cross-country hike, you take extra precautions. Please review the list of resources below to learn more about moving and relocation services.