If you plan to hire a moving company in the near future and are not careful, you could get scammed.
Consumer Problem or Complaint? Contact CALL 4 ACTION
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are over 3,600 complaints that come in each year, resulting in an average loss of about $8,000 per complaint. The most common complaints are for delays, lost or damaged items, and being charged more than what was quoted.
About 15% of claims are for movers who hold a customer's contents hostage unless they pay big dollars to get them delivered.
Quite often, people get taken because they were in a hurry to get moving without checking things out, got swayed by either a pushy or too good to be true salesperson, or they did not know the questions to ask, or how to check things out.
Before you hire a mover, make sure that they are licensed, registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, that they provide a local street address and phone number, and that they are insured. Also check out their reputation with consumer groups and other sources.
Get more than one binding estimate for the total cost of the move, and, make sure that you read all of the terms and conditions of the contract, including pick up and delivery dates.
A few red flags to watch out for include movers who are vague and will only provide a quote by the phone, promise that all items are fully insured, or pressure you to pay cash or a large deposit upfront.
In addition to contacting our Call 4 Action office for help, consumers can also file a complaint with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They also have a lot of great information on their website about hiring a mover, and what you can do to help the process go smoothly.
