Last year, 230 moving scams were reported to the Better Business Bureau (BBB)—nearly double the number reported in 2019.

That might not seem like a lot, but consider the BBB estimates that only about 10% of scams actually get reported. And if you were one of those victims, even one scam would feel like one too many. 

Here’s the story of one couple who ended up the victims of a terrible moving experience, what they did, plus what you can do to avoid fraud on your next big move.

How Moving Scams Happen

When Mary and Will* needed to move long-distance across the state of Georgia to St. Simons Island, they didn’t realize how tough it would be to find movers.

The larger moving companies weren’t returning their calls due to high volume, and local movers couldn’t accommodate the over 300-mile move. (The couple also looked into moving container companies, but the cost didn’t fit their budget.) Yet eventually, a Google search connected them with a moving company called Nation Relocation. 

This company responded quickly to Will’s call and sent someone out to do an estimate. “That meeting went well enough, so we had no reason to distrust the company,” Mary explained to HireAHelper. “As a retired Army family having had only great moving experiences, it didn’t cross our mind that this one would be any different.”

Suspicions mounting

The problems started when the owner of the moving company was leaving Mary and Will’s home after one day of packing. The mover veered the moving truck off the driveway and onto the lawn, breaking a sprinkler head and leaving a large divot in the lawn. Afterward, he dismissed it as not his fault and quickly left with all his employees.

The emergency repair to the sprinkler cost the couple $642. “When he came back the next day to finish packing, my husband presented him with the invoice for the emergency repair and he asked him if he was going to pay for it,” Mary recounted. “His response was ‘that’s not going to happen.’”

Still, Mary said they expected that the move itself would be handled properly, having no past bad experiences. Unfortunately, things only got worse from there. After the couple’s items were unpacked in their new home, they discovered extensive damage to their belongings. An antique mirror that has been in Mary’s family since the 1940s was alarmingly handled. ”There was literally one sheet of packing paper wrapped around it for protection,” she said. Additionally, an antique vase that was given to Mary by her late mother-in-law was wrapped in a thin sheet of paper and jammed into a box with heavy items.

Also damaged were the couple’s flatscreen TV, washing machine, two bikes (one was damaged beyond use, and another simply disappeared), a brand-new cabinet, antique furniture and dishes, and more. In fact, entire rooms of items went missing during the move, including a 24-foot extension ladder, compound miter saw, electric chain saw, circular saw, hand sander, power drill, kitchen chair, car jack, garden wagon, moving dolly, and 40-50 DVDs.

“The owner was belligerent and disrespectful and showed little care for our personal property, both in hearing about damages as well as how things were packed,” Mary recounted. The couple filed a written claim with the company over a week before our interview, but they still haven’t received a response.

Not an isolated incident

Mary and Will are far from the only people who have been scammed by a moving company. 

In just one of a plethora of potential examples, Konami Moving and Storage, a moving company operating out of Las Vegas, made headlines when multiple customers came forward with claims they were taken advantage of during their moves. One local TV news station interviewed a woman who claimed her belongings were actually held hostage by the company, as they refused to return them unless their customer paid an exorbitant, undisclosed fee. Another customer shared that he was out $4,500 after half his items went missing and several more were broken as a result of working with Konami. A look at Konami’s online reviews reveals many other angry customers complaining of everything from damaged property to extortion.

On July 28th, a multi-agency investigation led to the arrests of five people in connection with a multi-state moving scam, including Konami Moving and Storage.

With a national increase in home sales driving heightened demand for movers, some experts warn that moving scams like these will increase. Thus, it pays to know the warning signs coming from a fraudulent moving company.

How To Avoid Becoming the Victim of a Moving Scam

If you hire movers, it may feel stressful when virtual strangers enter your home and handle all your items. While the vast majority of moving companies employ courteous and professional workers, there’s always a chance you could get stuck with ones who aren’t.

From avoiding being overcharged to making sure your belongings aren’t damaged or stolen, here are some important steps you can take to stay safe.

1. Get several quotes

One way to make sure you aren’t getting ripped off or working with a questionable company is to look at more than one quote for the move. (This is very simple to do entirely online using a mover marketplace.) This can help you compare offers and be sure you’re getting a good deal.

Some red flags to look out for when comparing quotes:

• One number is way lower than everyone else’s quote: If any one quote is significantly lower (or higher) compared to the others, it’s a sign there’s something amiss. You want to get the lowest price possible, but avoid anything that seems too good to be true.
• It’s hard to get concrete details: This includes pricing, license numbers, insurance information, and more. “If there is any pushback from requests for this information, that could be a red flag that you are working with a fraudulent moving company,” explains Kristen Bolig, founder of SecurityNerd.
• They won’t put it in writing: It’s best to avoid any verbal agreements that don’t include a written contract. Without the terms of your contract in writing, it’s easy to change or go back on what was originally promised.
• A large down-payment is required: Be wary of companies that want you to pay a lot of the principal before the move takes place. This is a practice amongst scammers who take the money and run.

2. Check out the company’s online presence

Most businesses want to make it easier for potential new customers to find them and for existing customers to engage with them… not harder.

It’s expected that any legitimate moving company will at least have a basic website and additional listings on websites like Yelp or HireAHelper that feature pictures, company details, and reviews. A complete lack of online presence, as well as a history of name changes, is a red flag that a company may be hiding something.

“Movers need to be licensed with the state, and if they’re doing interstate moves, they need to be federally licensed too.”

For example, the aforementioned Nation Relocation (whose website is not currently active) has also done business under another company name: “Region Relocation”. “They have no social media presence either, and it is the opinion of myself and multiple others whom they have scammed that they’ve done this intentionally to minimize their traceability and their accountability footprint,” Mary said.

3. Look up verified customer reviews (that means the moves really happened)

Before choosing a moving company, see what past customers have to say about them. A couple of negative reviews are to be expected, but a long history of dissatisfied customers should make you look elsewhere.

“Looking back, we would have started our market research earlier in the moving process and looked at online reviews and Better Business Bureau reports,” Mary said. Nation Relocation, for example, has a one-star rating on Yelp, with multiple customer complaints ranging from damages to harassment. Meanwhile, Region Relocation has an F rating from the BBB fueled by 48 customer complaints.

4. Keep a detailed inventory

To be sure that none of your items go missing without you realizing it, keep a detailed list of what was packed. For high-value items, you may also want to take photographs. “Moving can be hectic, but being organized will help mitigate any risk of theft,” Kristen Bolig advises. “Keeping inventory of your belongings will allow you to know if anything is missing once the move is done.”

5. Lock your most expensive valuables

As an added measure against tampering or theft, Bolig recommends using lockable moving boxes and totes for extra security. Just be sure that if you do, you properly pad anything fragile so it doesn’t break during transit.

6. Consider buying moving insurance

Though moving insurance can’t bring back irreplaceable items that were broken, lost or stolen, insurance can ensure that you don’t take a major financial hit from the loss. “This kind of insurance covers the costs of any damaged or lost items during a move,” Bolig said.

Though your moving company may offer its own protection, you may want to purchase insurance through a third-party in case the company ends up being fraudulent. “Even if you do fall victim to a scam, you can have this insurance to fall back on,” Bolig said. 

Generally, the more useful third-party liability coverage costs around $1.25 per pound. So if you move 2,000 pounds of belongings, you could expect to pay $2,500. It’s a significant added cost, but depending on what you’re moving, it could be worth the peace of mind that you’re financially protected against moving damages.

What To Do if You Just Got Scammed

Of course, no one wants to get ripped off, but it still happens. So if despite your best efforts, if you end up getting scammed by a moving company, here’s what you should do.

1. Let your state’s Consumer Affairs Division know what happened

There are a few benefits to doing this. For one, investigators can help you track down missing belongings or get compensation for damaged items. Plus, they can take unlicensed and illegal movers off the streets so no one else falls victim. Movers need to be licensed with the state, and if they’re doing interstate moves, they need to be federally licensed too. Cross-checking these licenses and reporting an unlicensed mover is a quick way to get an investigation started.

2. Call your local police station

The police are sometimes limited in what they can do when a moving scam occurs. At the very least, you should file a police report for any damages or harassment you experience. In some cases, depending on state laws, the police can actually mediate a dispute. For example, if a moving company holds your belongings hostage in demand for more money, the police can step in and help you get your stuff back, especially if it involves an interstate move. But again, the level of involvement by police will be dictated by state law, so do your research and learn what’s allowed where you’re moving

3. Consider contacting a news outlet

One of the best ways to put pressure on a company to resolve your complaint (and protect future customers) is to contact a local newspaper or TV station and see if they’ll do a report on your incident. This does involve putting yourself and your misfortune in the public eye. But if you don’t mind taking the spotlight for the greater good, it can be worth it.

Ultimately, when choosing a moving company, it’s important to trust your gut. If anything about the quote, contract, or communication feels off, it’s probably a sign that you should work with someone else. When in doubt, trusted, established moving services with consumer-friendly policies are always the better choice.

*Names have been changed in order to protect the couple’s privacy.

Illustrations by Marlowe Dobbe