Protect Yourself from Moving Scam Dec28

Protect Yourself from Moving Scam...

If you are looking at moving companies in Camden County, one of your biggest concerns is probably how to protect yourself from a scam. Moving scams first became an issue in 1980 with the passing of the Household Goods Transportation Act. This allowed moving companies to issue price quotes on moving across state lines. Because of this, companies began to compete, not over quality and services offered but over price. Fake companies began to pop up offering low cost moving, only to disappear somewhere along the road with all of a customer’s belongings in tow. To protect Americans from moving scam, the Department of Transportation has been enforcing interstate moving regulations since 1995, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration got involved in 1999. With increased regulation, fake companies are disappearing, and it is possible to find many fine moving companies in Camden County. The threat of scam is not entirely gone, however, and it is important to know what to look for. Usually a scam starts out when a moving company gives an estimate by way of an online broker or over the phone. It is rare for a scam to occur with a company that does an in-home estimate. This estimate is usually very low to seduce potential customers into choosing that company. The fake movers will then come to your home, pack your belongings, and take them to a far off weighing facility. Only then will they tell you that they charge by weight, and yours went over the weight for which they originally estimated. They will then charge an exorbitant fee for the excess pounds – sometimes up to four or five times higher than the original quote. The owners are then forced to pay this fee because it is...