Protect Your Move - how the scam works and how to avoid frauds
Source: http://www.protectyourmove.gov/ Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration memories. Department of Transportation.
Are You Moving? Protect Yourself From Moving Fraud
More than 40 mil lion Americans move each year for personal reasons and career opportunities. It’s a significant event in anyone’s life. Your money, your memories are at stake. It can also be stressful, even under the best of circumstances. Know how to avoid one of the most stressful situations that can arise; protect yourself from dishonest, movers. Most moving companies are legitimate businesses that do quality work. But in recent years, a growing number of complaints have been filed against interstate movers and many of those complaints spring from the fraudulent practices of a small percentage of dishonest movers known as rogue movers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration(FMCSA), of the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT), has initiated a partnership with other Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies, consumer groups, and the moving industry to make sure you have the information you need to Protect Your Memories. Your Money. Your Move. from fraud.
Red Flags For Spotting Rogue/Scam Movers
Rogue movers typically work like this: Without ever visiting your home or seeing the goods you want moved, they give a low estimate over the telephone or Internet. Once your goods are on their truck, they demand more money before they will deliver or unload them. They hold your goods hostage and force you to pay more — sometimes much more than you thought you had agreed to if you want your possessions back.
Your best defense is to recognize a rogue mover before they have your goods. Here are the to look out for:
- The mover doesn’t offer or agree to an onsite inspection of your household goods and gives an estimate over the telephone or Internet sight-unseen. These estimates often sound too good to be true. They usually are.
- The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
- The mover doesn’t provide you with a copy of Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.
- The company’s Web site has no local address and no information about their registration or insurance.
- The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance.
- When you call the mover, the telephone is answered with a generic Movers or Moving company, rather than the company’s name.
- Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.
- On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company owned
or marked fleet truck.
[Continue...] Click here to download your copy of Protect Your Move Pamphlet.
Related information: Unlicensed, fraud, Pitfalls, criminals
Van Man Said,
June 25, 2007 @ 11:37 am
Moving is usually a nightmare for people. But in order to make it easier we should carefully plan it. For example I use services of only that companies, which I know have good reputation. I listen to advices of my friends, and people who have already used their services. I don’t believe to advertising. And if you found a good company, then your removal will be much easier.
dAN nONROE Said,
January 4, 2008 @ 1:54 am
Numbers 1-8 describe perfectly the AAA Moving Systems, located inSunValley California. This Company has nothing to do with the tripple A we are all familiar with. If you want to be dissatisfied with your complete moving experience just hire this company. They will deal with you completly in the manner as explained in this commentary. They picked up my sister and brotherinlaws household goods and when they were delivered there were so many damages that, while my things were still in storage I requested to upgrade the insurance and they said that it was too late and if I wanted more insurance I would have to go on line and get it. They said that I shouldnt assume that just because their stuff was damaged that mine would be. They apparently had a truck comming this way from California to Georgia and called and said that they would knock off 350.00 if we would accept delivery by the 15th of the month and get this, this was aftert charging me 2800.00 for 4 months storage for 400sq ft of storage space. The head banger said that this was a good price and that this is what public storage was charging and that he had the reciepts. When I called public storage for verification they said that space rents nationwide for $228.00 per month and if you rent for more than 3 months you get a discount for long term storage. When I called DOT enforcement, these guys sent me an addendumn to their own contract asking me to with draw all claims I have the 4 page document for proof. They busted the top out of my 88inch tall Majestic Curio clock, removed all of the shrink wrap from all of my furniture that Tyrone, Bassem and Ozzie professionally wrapped it. I felt that if I put cardboard, soft furniture foam the Home Furniture of Lancaster California gave me, to include the soft cloth protectors thet most furniture companys send to distributers to keep the dust out and protect the furniture from getting marked up or scratched. Each leg of the furniture was wrapped with cardboard, taped down and around each one, placed 2 sofa covers each over every sofa, love seat, and material upholstry chairs and these clowns removed all of them. They sent my furniture to a warhouse or storage at an undisclosed location in the Atlanta area and refused to tell me where it was. Then they told me to send them the balance of the contract and they would, get this, Redeliver it for $1500.00. They delayed sending my things until the DOT threatened to fine them daily at 1100.00 per day per violation. When they did get here with my things I gave the driver $3000.00 and showed him that I had the remaining $964.00, But I wanted him to show me that the truck did have my things inside and that there was no mix up, the fool refused to open the truck and gave me the $3000.00 back and said no. I had him to Call the head banger and I explained to him that I just wanted to know if it was my delivery and not a pig in the blanket and he said “Thats right”. This is the type of thing that the average blackman would shoot you for. When I gave the driver all of the money he then open the backdoor of the truck and my belongings and papers fellout. My things had been just thrown in the back of the truck any kind of ways. A leg was broken off of my Hammond Organ, and the workers (2) who coiuld not speak english and another the best of the 3, said that he was homeless and just trying to get him something to eat. Please don’t get mad at me Im just trying to get me something to eat and I’m homless. They just told me to get the stuff off the best way I can.” A $350.00 Vase was broken. while I was trying to take pictures they were unloading fast as I was telling them to swet the damaged stuff to the side. The driver instructed them to set stuff down and the he couldn’t stack damaged things on top of other damaged stuff. I requested that they send a claims from with the delivery and they failed to do so. I called the company in California and they let the answering machine pick. I mailed them several letters requesting that that fax me the forms and I even mailed them several request to supply me with the name of their insurance carrier and they failed to do so. If you know anyone who is about to move or you here someone talking to someone about moving, if you care anything about yourself or you hope that someone will give you a headsup, Please tell them to insure that they run if they hear or see AAA Moving Systems in any form. Beware of Amir, Itay,Maria, or Lacy, they are part of a snake trap of the deadliest form. Be sure that you post in E-mail, my space areas and any where friends may be. Tell them to keep away from this company. They will lie and lie as they lie. They should not be allowed to move a pile of catsh–. If you have blownout tire don’t even let them pick it up. You should shout it, sing it, tell it, herald it, and make it known any way you can that this company Called AAA is Evil at best in all ways. Do Not ALLOW them the privilege to hear your voice by phone, run and hide if you see AAA antwhere in the world. If it’s not Tripple A AA Automobile Club run from it. You’ve been warned, and I’ve done my duty to society, again you’ve been warned.
Raymond Young Said,
January 15, 2008 @ 5:17 pm
To whom it may concern.
We moved to Shreveport last July with G.M. corp and the moving Co lost and damaged some of our stuff in the process of moving, we turned these items over to a Karen Lassetter ( claims adjuster ) She did pay us on some of the items and as we unpack we found other items broke or missing we asked her to send the adjuster out again to review the items and to send a claims from out for the missing items. We didn’t even know that there was a 90 day limit on filing a claim on damaged or missing items. After 90 days we still had most of our stuff in storage in the garage due to remodeling that was being done to the house we still have not unpacked all our boxes as to date when you have three 45 foot trucks packed with goods it takes awhile to put up 65 tons of house hold goods. The claims adjuster did not advise us at anytime of a time limit but did led us on to fill out forms, buy the time we filled out the forms on the missing or broke stuff that we advised her of on the phone that was within the time limit the 90 day limit was up so she sent us a letter stating we sincerely regret the damaged and inconvenience you have experienced and you understand our position. Well I do not understand you had all the info on our missing or damaged goods verbally and then when we sent the paper work in you say its late, well that’s not right I feel that your employee mislead us until it was to late for us to file a claim. I would like for you to be fair and resolve this matter. You are the only people that we have spoken to at this time I feel that you will do the right thing and that will be the end of it I do not won’t this to go on after looking on the net your track record is not real well off I see that other people have experience the same thing. Please help with this matter. It cost G.M. 65,000 to the moving Co to move us I would expect for that price everything should show up and in good condition.
Thank You
Raymond Young
10204 Ellerbe Rd
Shreveport La, 71106
Phone: 318-798-7744
Patricia Cesaire Said,
January 18, 2008 @ 7:05 pm
I think its safe to say every New Yorker dreads the moving process in this city; it tends to be a shady dealings from beginning to end: the movers have bad attitudes but good enough nerve to expect robust gratuity. Having moved nearly every year for the last year, I’ve simplified the process with a few reliable steps: Exercise careful planning. For example I research services of only that companies, which I know have good reputation. Referrals: I take the advice of my seasoned friends, and people who have already used qualities services. Stick with what works: if you found a good company, then your relocation will be a less stressful, seamless process.
steven kotler Said,
January 30, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
I wanted to move with a moving company and decided not to, after i heard about the moving scams going on from Packing Service Inc. they provided me the information that i needed not to choose to move with a moving company, Packing Service Inc. http://www.MovingScam.Info came and packed all my stuff and loaded everything to a “door to door” container, my move was great and nothing broke, my advice to you all, use a company to pack and load and move with a container company.
Have a good luck with your move and be safe and careful of moving scams.