OMAHA, Neb. — For countless Americans, the month of May signifies a major transition in their lives. Whether it is graduating from high school or college, starting a new job or receiving that highly anticipated acceptance letter, May marks the beginning of the busiest time in the nation for moving. So much so, that the month was designated National Moving Month in 1997.
Your Better Business Bureau (BBB) fielded nearly 1,100 complaints against moving companies last year. BBB’s Scam Tracker had reports of more than $730,000 lost to moving scammers, a 216% increase from 2020. As we approach mid-May, this is a good time for consumers to educate themselves on how to avoid victimization by unscrupulous companies, and smooth out the famously rocky process of relocating their residence.
COMMON MOVING COMPANY SCAMS
Here are some of the most reported scams each year by those who moved:
• The no-shows — After getting a quote and paying a deposit, the mover never shows.
• The over-weight trick — Once the truck is loaded, the mover claims the load is heavier than expected and wants an additional fee, usually much more than the estimate.
• The disappearing scam — All seems to go smoothly until the truck fails to appear at the destination. Either your things are gone, or the company demands an additional fee to have them delivered. Your…
