'Rogue' Movers Make Moving A Nightmare

Moving is a stressful experience, made even worse when things go horribly wrong. While a good moving company can ease the pain, "rogue" movers who are out to scam you will turn your move into a nightmare.

"It started when we were quoted one price, then once the company started loading our things, the price doubled," Maurice, of Jackson, Tenn., told ConsumerAffairs.com.

Bait and switch

The bait and switch is probably the most common tactic of a rogue mover. The consumer is given a very low quote, in order to get the business. But once everything is on the truck, suddenly, things change.

"I got an estimate for an interstate move to Georgia of $989, plus a 10 percent discount and a $50 coupon reduction, for a total of $841," Eugenio, of Clarkston, Ga., told ConsumerAffairs.com.

But when the movers arrived, it turned out that estimate was a bit on the low site.

"When they loaded the truck, they gave us papers to sign and demanded $4,000," he said.

Lee, of Logansport, Ind., suspects his movers were "rogues," because some of his boxes turned up missing.

Guess which boxes were missing?

"Even worse than that was the boxes housed all of my gaming consoles, blue ray, PC, and a complete history of my personal, educational and business life," Lee said.

Rogue movers aren't always easy to spot, but there are tell-tale signs you should look for. For example, they often give low-ball estimates over the phone or Internet without ever visiting your home or seeing the items you want to move.

Once your household goods are on their truck, they demand more money before they will deliver or unload them. The consumers' belongings are held hostage and many have been forced to pay more than the initial estimate they agreed too in order to get their goods back.

Red flags

Here are some other  "red flags" to look for:

• The moving company's only form of acceptable payment is cash or a large deposit before the move.
• The company's Web site has no local address and no information about licensing or insurance.
• The company claims all goods are covered by their insurance.
• The mover does not 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.
• Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.
• On moving day a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned and marked fleet truck.

To expose a rouge mover before you become a victim, make sure you get a cost estimate in writing, and insist on a walk-through of your dwelling.

Don't select a mover based on price alone. In many cases, you get what you pay for. If you have a bad feeling about your mover's tactics or charges, stop the move before your household goods are loaded on the truck.