LA Movers Serving to Shield Californians From Transferring Scams

UNITED STATES – Life is hard. There is a constant battle between mind and muscle to make a living. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready to put food on the table by honest means. Some like to make easy money by deceiving other people. Disappointing, yes, but it happens a lot.

However, the moving industry is not short of scammers. Fortunately, the good guys still exist. Well-known moving companies work hard to keep their customers safe. And if you’re moving to a big city like LA, here are some tips on how to protect yourself.

But first…

Why hire a moving company?

Why spend money asking other people to do the job when you can do it yourself? Because moving is not as easy as it sounds. You have to take into account the associated psychological stress, physical exertion and financial burden.

Hiring professionals will save you heavy work while you can focus on more important things. It makes even more sense to hire moving companies if you’re moving to a busy subway like LA. They know how to navigate traffic and meander through neighborhoods.

Did you know that moving trucks are also inexpensive? Yes! Imagine the hospital bill if you injured yourself lifting a heavy box. Or the price of a new TV if you break your current one. With moving companies, you may not save upfront, but you protect yourself and your belongings in the long run.

Common moving scams to watch out for

Alright. You understand it. Moving companies are critical to the success of your move. However, this does not mean that you should grab the first offer on the table. Does anyone know what type of company you are dealing with? Keep in mind that renegade movers keep getting smarter with their modus operandi.

One of LA’s top movers, Imperial Moving & Storage, hopes to help you avoid financial disaster by sharing some approaches that fraudulent moving companies typically use:

• Tempting cheap offers. The makers will try to lure you by naming a price that sounds too good to be true. Some people fall for it in hopes of saving more money. Unfortunately, moving companies increase costs at the end of the move or, worse, disappear without a trace.
• Wrong references. Most villains don’t have a website because they don’t want to leave an online footprint. But some might show you decent websites filled with fake testimonials that they wrote themselves. This can lead you to believe that this is a legitimate company with a list of satisfied customers.
• Estimates on the phone. A moving company that doesn’t personally rate your home is a big red flag. It’s even more shady when they tell you the prices on the phone. Can you guess the price? While many companies will give you an estimate over the phone, if you are traveling long distance (and based on the weight of the cargo) you should request a home estimate.
• Big deposit. Reputable LA Movers let their work do the talking before collecting payment. A moving company asking you to pay a large sum before you start moving is a huge red flag. You can either hold your belongings hostage or take it off without another word.
• Suspicious documents. Be careful before putting your signature on a piece of paper. Rogue movers sometimes give you contracts with missing terms or shady clauses. Make sure to go through everything twice or even three times before signing!
• Lost items or damaged goods. Even if a moving company has good intentions, you can’t be sure about everyone on their team. So don’t leave valuables lying around on the day of the move. Compare every box in your new home with your household’s inventory.
• Unlicensed company. The FMCSA registers moving companies to filter out the black sheep from the rest. Rogue movers typically use outdated equipment, hire inexperienced people or day laborers, and drive rented trucks. All of this makes an obvious recipe for disaster.

How to protect yourself from fraud

Scams will always be present no matter how much the government weed out the villains. The best way to protect yourself is to educate yourself. Since you already know the patterns of common moving fraud, the next step is to check the credibility of your potential moving company.

You can do this by:

• Ask them to provide proof of their license or type approval issued by the California Bureau of Household Goods & Services.
• Evaluation of the online presence. Check the validity of the website and the authenticity of the people who gave their testimonials.
• Read reviews on credible websites like Google and Yelp. It would also be helpful if you could reach out to these people and ask them about their experiences.
• Insist on a binding cost estimate in-house. Firstly, a binding quote ensures that the moving companies cannot rip you off with hidden fees. Second, you can meet the moving companies at home with a quote and assess their professionalism.
• If possible, pay by credit card or PayPal. Credit cards allow you to quickly abandon the transaction if something seems fishy while filing a dispute with PayPal and getting your money back.

Summarize things

Moving can be daunting, especially if it’s your first time. LA is a huge city with lots of nooks and crannies that are easy to get lost in. Additionally, the chances of being scammed are real, not to mention COVID-19 added restrictions on movement. But don’t worry! As long as you avoid the red flags mentioned above and get to know your company, you are good to go.