Moving fraud has been on the rise for the last 10 to 15 years, with the rise of the internet vendor sites are making it easier to fake credentials and testimonials. Take these easy steps from Atlanta moving services to make sure you are protecting yourself and your belongings:

  • Ask for recommendations from friends and family
    • It is easy to research a moving company online but websites are easy to put up and take down and testimonials can be faked. Internet credentials are just words. Talking to a friend or family member or asking advice from a trusted real estate agent are better ways to obtain the names of reputable companies.
  • Investigate
    • There are several options for investigating movers, including government sites and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s site. There are also private websites that maintains a “black list” of over 376 movers.
  • Make sure the moving company visits your home
    • Make sure the company sends someone to your home to look around and talk to you about what you need. Good companies will spend up to twenty  minutes or more with a potential client answering questions and giving packing tips.
  • Get three estimates
    • Shop around and get three estimates, in writing, after the home visit. This is especially important  for state to state moves and be careful not to select the lowest bid.
  • Don’t pay your bill upfront
    • Some companies require you to pay a deposit as high as 25% of the total move, reputable companies should not require you to pay everything, or even half, upfront.