Moving can be one of the most stressful things to deal with but are you aware that thousands of people fall victim to moving fraud every year. Here are 4 of the most common moving scams from Toronto movers and how to avoid them.
1) The Hostage. Your movers have loaded all your belongings into their truck just the way you expected. Upon arrival at your destination they demand more money before unlocking the truck or unloading any items. Sounds far fetched and yet it is the reason for 1 of every 10 complaints filed against movers. There are a couple of ways to protect yourself from this situation, the first is get all your fees in writing and upfront. Another option is to have a hybrid move which involves arranging for your own truck rental and transporting your belongings yourself. Local movers are then hired at each end of the move and paid on an hourly rate.
2) The Shifty Scale. Long distance moves are often charged by weight and you may be given a quote that is very low. After the movers load your belongings they drive the truck to be weighed on a scale. The weight they report is a much higher amount than estimated and these unscrupulous operators then immediately demand the difference in price. Be aware of a couple of ways you may be overcharged, they may weigh the truck with an empty gas tank and not all workers on board. In addition they may have goods from another job on the truck or random packing materials mixed in with your items. Ask to be present when the truck is weighed and if possible avoid a quote based on weight.
3) Broken Broker. You may be given a quote that sounds good at first that is until the broker sells the customer to other moving operations who will be unaware of the quote. Based on the low quote the customer recieved this company will demand more money for your move. Consumers can avoid being scammed in this manner by taking time to search for registered movers and viewing any customer complaints.
4) The Lowball. Shady companies will give you a lowball price with the intent of piling on extra charges the day of the move. Most customers fall for this without considering the hidden consequences. Suddenly there are extra charges for wardrobe boxes, TV boxes even tolls and fuel handed to the customer. Don’t be afraid to ask exactly what’s included in your quote to avoid being a victim to these moving scams.
Thanks to Cargo Cabbie for providing these tips on avoiding moving scams.