Moving can be a stressful and expensive process, and scammers have been known to use the opportunity to scam consumers who are looking for help moving from their old home to their new one.
Moving scams usually involve disreputable companies taking advantage of people by charging more than an agreed-upon amount or even attempting to hold a customer’s belongings hostage unless they agree to pay more.
How do I spot a moving scam?
Moving companies that engage in scams and fraud are typically new to the area they’re operating in. They might not have very many, if any, online reviews and they might not even have a website or other digital footprint.
Scammers are known to use cold calling, door-to-door solicitation, or operate on websites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to gin up business.
Disreputable companies are also usually reluctant to provide in-home estimates and will try to find ways to pressure you into doing business with them.
How can I avoid getting scammed?
Do your homework. Always talk to at least three different moving companies before signing any contracts or agreeing to do business with them. Asking companies to provide in-home estimates of the cost of your move can help weed out scammers who are less likely to provide one.
It’s also best to start looking at movers as soon as you know you’ll be moving. Good, reputable companies start filling up their schedules quickly.
Remember to weigh the overall cost of your estimates with the reputation of the company. Offers that sound too good to be true often are.
You can also visit the Better Business Bureau to to see if a moving company has any complaints before hiring them. The BBB also provides accreditation to companies and allows you to search for only accredited moving companies. You may also want to search for complaints on other review platforms or for actions taken by law enforcement agencies.
What should I do if a moving company won’t give me my belongings?
If any moving company is holding your belongings hostage, contact local law enforcement immediately.
How do I get my money back and protect my information?
If you’ve sent money to a scammer, contact the company you used to process that payment immediately. Reporting fraud to your bank, credit card company, the company you bought a gift card from, a cryptocurrency exchange, or any other payment processing company can help reverse it.
Report any scams, fraud, or suspicious business activity to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.
