Moving Scams

Most states also require companies doing in-state moves to have that USDOT number, and many do their own licensing as well. Check with your state’s movers association for information on regulations where you live.

Follow these additional steps to help ensure you, and your belongings, don't get taken for a costly ride.

Warning Signs

• A moving company’s website doesn’t list a local address or provide information about its registration and insurance options.
• Calls are answered with a generic identification like “Movers” or “Moving company,” rather than the company’s name.
• The company gives an estimate by phone or online without making an on-site inspection of what’s being moved.
• The company requires a large deposit or full payment in advance.
• The movers show up in rental trucks rather than company-branded vehicles.
• Movers ask you to sign blank or incomplete forms, saying they’ll fill them in later.
• They demand more money once they have possession of your belongings.

How to protect yourself from this scam

• Do get multiple, in-home estimates from movers (experts recommend at least three). If one is much lower than the others, be skeptical.
• Do get estimates based on the weight of your goods, not the volume in cubic feet. Rogue movers favor volume because it's less precise and easier to manipulate for later upcharges, according to the BBB.
• Do research on companies you’re considering. Look up their BBB profiles, and use the FMCSA’s database to review an interstate mover’s registration status and complaint history.
• Do get referrals. Ask relatives, friends and neighbors who have moved recently. Real estate agents are another good resource.
• Do know your rights and responsibilities when you move. They’re detailed in an FMCSA booklet that interstate movers are legally required to provide to customers.
• Do ask questions if you don’t understand something. If the answers aren’t clear, consider a different mover.
• Do get everything in writing. This includes estimates, an inventory of your goods (including the condition of each item), the order for service (which lists pickup and delivery dates and services the mover is providing), and the bill of lading (your contract for the move and the receipt for your belongings). Get any revisions in writing, too.
• Do get contact info for the driver as well as the moving company.

• Don’t use a company that won’t provide a written estimate or says its employees will determine the price after loading.
• Don’t hire based solely on cost. Scammers will quote a low price to get their foot in the door. Consider other factors, such as the company’s registration status and service record.
• Don’t pay a large deposit. Some legitimate movers ask for a down payment to reserve a date, especially during busy times like the summer, but “be wary of carriers seeking large down payments,” according to the American Trucking Associations, a national industry group.
• Don’t pay cash. Use a credit card, which provides protection if there is a dispute or you suspect a scam.
• Don’t sign blank or partially completed documents. Some shady movers use incomplete estimates to change the cost or other terms without your consent.
• Don’t let packing or loading start if the mover tries to change the estimate. Get a revised estimate that you both sign, listing the additional items or services and a new price you both agree to. Keep a copy for yourself.

More Resources

• The FMCSA’s Protect Your Move website has more advice on preparing for an interstate move, selecting a mover and avoiding fraud.
• The AMSA offers detailed moving tips and a directory of movers it has certified.
• Report moving scams and rogue movers to:
  • the FMCSA (for interstate moves; you can file a complaint online or at 888-368-7238)
  • the Better Business Bureau
  • your state’s attorney general or consumer protection office