When it comes to stressful events in your life, moving is near the top of the list. And if you’ve ever had a bad experience (or heard about someone having a bad experience), you recognize the wisdom of hiring the right mover to help you out. Here’s how to keep the scam artists from hijacking your stuff.

This is for you: If you’re planning a move and you don’t want to schlep the heavy boxes yourself.

Hands-on time: A few hours, including 15 to 20 minutes on the phone with each mover you interview, time to get in-person estimates, and time to do your background research on each company. Total time: Varies depending on how many movers you interview.

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Cost: Varies, based on how much you’re moving, the distance of the move, whether there are stairs involved, the number of large items (like appliances) they’ll be moving, etc. Movers typically charge $40 to $80 per hour with a two-hour minimum, and there may be a mileage charge for long-distance moves. If you have them pack you, that will cost extra, and you should plan on tipping each mover $5 to $10 per hour.

What to do:

1. Ask friends, family, coworkers and neighbors if they can recommend a good mover. If that fails, call a local real estate office for a referral. It’s important to hear from someone who’s had a good experience.

2. Do some up-front digging before you call companies. Check out companies through the Better Business Bureau, and check sites like MovingScam.com, MovingSham.com, and RipOffReport.com to see if the company pops up.

3. Call the companies and get the following basic info:

• Full company name and any DBA names (Doing Business As)
• Address and phone numbers
• Web address, if any
• Email address

4. Then ask the following questions:

• Are you licensed and insured? If so, ask for their DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) and MC (Motor Carrier) license numbers.
• How long have you been doing business?
• What’s covered if I pack my own stuff, versus if the moving company packs for me?
• What type of payment do you require?
• Is there an hourly minimum?
• Is there a cancellation fee? If so, how much? And how much notice do you require?
• What is the additional charge if the move takes more time than initially estimated?
• How much do you charge to pack me? How much time would that take?
• Do you provide in-person estimates? (If not, eliminate them.)

5. During your in-person estimate, be honest about what you have. You have nothing to gain by low-balling how much stuff you own. Show the representative every tiny thing stashed under beds, in closets and in cabinets.

More from Bundle: See what it cost one woman to move from New York to San Francisco

6. Make sure you discuss how movers will have to get things out of your current building. (If you’re in a house, that’s probably obvious, but if you’re in an apartment building that uses a special elevator during specific hours, mention it.) And, of course, describe the conditions on the other end—stairs, elevators, an especially long walk to the front door, etc.

7. Ask the company if it will be moving you itself, not hiring someone else to do it. (You want the company that’s moving you itself. Trust us.)

8. Get all quotes and information in writing, signed and dated by the representative. Know that by law, movers must deliver your things for no cost above a binding estimate and for no more than 10 percent above any non-binding estimate.

9. Never sign a blank contract or estimate (or any blank paperwork, really) and read everything that you sign.

10. Consider visiting the company’s offices to make sure it’s a legitimate business operating under the name you were given. Look for trucks that carry the company’s name on them. (If your mover is renting a U-Haul to move you, that’s a bad sign.)

11. Once you have several estimates, check the companies’ license and insurance information on SaferSys.org. For extremely helpful details on how to do this and what to look for, see this page from MovingScam.com.

12. Found a mover? Congrats and good luck. Now pack and move your really valuable or irreplaceable belongings yourself.

Red flags:
If your moving company does any of the following, do not pass go, do not let them collect your belongings. Find another mover.

• Asks for cash or a huge deposit before they’ve moved you.


• Doesn’t give you a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” something they’re required to give you when you’re planning a move from one state to another.


• Doesn’t list a local address or any licensing or insurance info on the company website.


• Informs you that all of your belongings are covered by their insurance.


• Answers the phone with “Movers” or “Moving Company” instead of the company’s name.

To learn more:
Don’t Get Scammed By Your Mover (MSN Money)
ProtectYourMove.gov (U.S. Department of Transportation)

Did you do it? Tell us what worked or share other tips in the comments below.

Who helped: Karen Fata, a real estate consultant with @Properties in Chicago

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