HOW MOVING SCAMS OPERATE TO AND FROM NORTH MIAMI, FL
Having to move to a different home is stressful. You can plan all you want, make all the checklists you need, and prepare everything ahead of time but no matter what you do, there will be many things that happen during a move that are out of your control.
The primary concern of most people though is finding reputable North Miami movers to hire. Moving scams have been around for a long time and people are often scammed out of thousands of dollars.
It doesn’t have to be this way though. Knowledge is power and so long as you are aware of how these scams work, you are less likely to fall prey to them. So how do they work exactly?
The estimate is a lie
The most common moving scam involves unscrupulous North Miami moving companies giving much lower estimates than the moving companies in the area. Many people are lured in by what seems like a better deal.
A lot of these North Miami moving companies are actually run by brokers who are basically middlemen that pass on your move another moving company.
What usually happens is that a down payment is made based on the incorrect weight estimate and the moving crew comes and packs all of your belongings. The North Miami moving company then gives a phone call saying that the weight is higher than estimated and the customer is charged much more money; sometimes to the tune of thousands of dollars. With their belongings being held hostage, most people decide to just pay the unfair fee. A lot of these scams also operate on a cash only basis. To make matters worse, they may even try tacking on additional fees.
Finding legitimate movers
To help you find the right movers, here are a few tips you can follow.
- Take the time to find a good North Miami moving company. Searching and calling different companies and getting different quotes for the move may be tedious, but it is the best way to ensure you find a reliable company to work with.
- Keep in mind that if a deal seems much too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. As aforementioned, a lot of moving companies are into giving low estimates and then charging more during moving day.
- Take note of the estimate you are given if it is binding or non-binding. A binding estimate means that the estimate you are charged for your load is final. A non-binding estimate is subject to change.
- Along with what kind of estimate you have, also ask about the conditions for additional charges and what they are based on and if they will apply to you.
- When it comes to weighing in your belongings, check to see that the weight of the moving van isn’t included in the overall weight. Be present during weighing time and get a certified weight ticket for your records.
- Avoid North Miami moving companies that only want to be paid in cash. Credit card companies can reimburse your cash if it was through a fraudulent transaction.
Following these tips, will make you less likely to fall victim to any unscrupulous North Miami moving companies.