Tips for dealing with fraudulent moving companies

Moving fraud is one of those things people are most afraid of during a move. The truth is that, sometimes, no matter how much you search, you will stumble upon a fraudulent moving company. Of course, don’t take this as us saying that you shouldn’t pay attention to the moving team you opt for – we know better than that. It’s absolutely paramount to search for a moving crew that will provide you with reliable moving services and high-quality storage units NYC. What we are trying to do is prepare you should the worst happen. Dealing with fraudulent moving companies can be exhausting, terrifying, and expensive. But with our help, you’ll manage to make this entire process a little bit easier, as you will know which steps to take in order to fix the situation.

Learn how to spot moving fraud in the first place

Let’s first start by saying that there are quite a few things that you can do in order to prevent a fraudulent moving company from ruining your relocation. The first thing you should know is that your laptop together with a stable Internet connection will be your best friend when searching for a reliable moving team. After all, the Internet is a place where you can find everything from reliable movers to some of the best motorcycle storage NYC has to offer. That being said, we’ll be more than happy to bring your attention to a substantial number of red flags you should keep an eye out for. Spotting just one of them should have you heading in the opposite direction.

• Requiring a deposit that is too high is a certain sign that you are about to deal with moving fraud.
• Denying you an on-the-spot moving estimate is something that you shouldn’t take for granted.
• Low-ball moving estimates only seem like a good thing, but they are a sign of a fraudulent mover.
• Unprofessional behavior isn’t something that you should ever tolerate because it leads to more sinister things.

But let’s say that you take all the right steps and still end up dealing with moving fraud. In that situation, the first thing you need to do is remain calm and composed. And then you should take into account a few of the tips we are about to distribute.

Dealing with fraudulent moving companies – solutions to the three most common problems

Fraudulent moving companies are quite predictable, as they have a couple of common scams they return to time and time again. It’s safe to say that you can use this in your favor, as you can use their predictability to come up with possible solutions. Better yet, you don’t even have to prepare the solutions yourself. NYC Mini Storage isn’t just a company that provides you with reliable residential and commercial storage units NYC loves – we are also here to distribute tips that you will find most useful during your upcoming project.

Situation #1 – Start your move only to find that the price of the services increases

We have to start with a moving scam as old as time. Imagine getting a quote from a moving company that seems completely fair to you. You are more than happy to seal the deal and have that company relocate your items. They arrive at your property, load your belongings onto the moving truck, and proceed to completely blindside you with an increased price. Your first instinct would be to deny paying the higher price, and that’s a normal first reaction to such a scenario. However, fraudulent movers will threaten you by keeping your items hostage until you manage to pay the full balance. What is there to be done in such a situation?

The solution

Start by trying to talk some sense into your moving company. Sure enough, we predict that this will fail, which is why you should take more serious actions. Get your lawyer on the phone and have him/her inspect the moving contract. It would be wise for you to always request a moving estimate in writing, as the written word holds more importance than words. In case all of this fails, you should think about filing a moving complaint. We know that you might not want to go down this route, but it might be the only way to rescue your items.

Situation #2 – Load was larger than anticipated

Or at least that’s what fraudulent movers will tell you. When it comes to dealing with fraudulent movers, there’s not a one size fits all approach, as every moving scam is different. And it might be impossible to protect yourself from a moving fraud that’s quite common – such as the bait and switch method. In essence, you get an estimate that is based on the size of your load, only to be informed in the middle of the process that the load is heavier than originally estimated. Do you pay the price or seek out a different solution?

The solution

Obviously, you shouldn’t pay for more than what was agreed. At NYC Mini Storage, we give you an accurate and binding estimate – whether you are interested in residential or student storage NYC trusts. And if we can give you a binding estimate, there’s no reason why your moving team can’t. With a binding moving estimate, you can’t be forced to pay more than what was agreed on. In case you didn’t sign a binding moving estimate, then you should think about pressing a lawsuit against your movers. Just bear in mind that these are things that take time and, throughout the entire legal battle, your items will be trapped with your movers.

Situation #3 – You are startled with extra charges

It seems like all of these moving scams revolve around one and the same thing – inaccurate moving estimates. At NYC Mini Storage, we are extremely careful when providing storage estimates. While doing so, we pay attention to accuracy first and foremost. However, we are also aware that many moving companies will include a lot of extra charges. So what happens if you receive a bill at the end of your move and find out that it’s filled with additional charges? You certainly don’t panic as there is a simple way out.

The solution

Take your moving contract out of the drawer. Your moving contract should contain all the charges and fees that you are expected to pay. And as you already know, a contract is a legally binding document. But we would like to use this opportunity to warn you about signing moving contracts with missing information. Never put your signature on a dotted line if the contract isn’t complete. To avoid dealing with fraudulent moving companies, you should first work on prevention.