Spring is considered one of the busiest seasons to move. According to Move Buddha, 60% of moves take place between May and December. It's also a season when prices can jump 20% to 30%.
To keep a lid on costs and avoid scams, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration advises looking out for these common red flags.
- No local address or DOT number on a mover's website
- Calls answered simply "movers" instead of with a company name
- No licensing or insurance documentation
- Demands for large upfront fees
Stephanie Powers is Deputy Oklahoma State Attorney General over the AG's Consumer Protection Unit. She also cautions, "if they're asking for 50%, 75% upfront, that should be a red flag."
Powers also cautions consumers to check prices for everything on the estimate closely to maintain control over costs.
"So ask what small boxes are going to cost, and medium boxes and closet boxes and packing materials," said Powers. "Ask how much packing material they normally use for this type of furniture. Ask what the extra charge is for antiques or fragile items."
Cindy Lou Barraza told 2 News Oklahoma that she's only used a mover once, and it was a good experience. Her advice for anyone moving?
"I would say your more fragile items, I would say probably pack yourself. That way, you know it's packed securely, and if it gets broken, you only have yourself to blame."
The Better Business Bureau recommends watching out for these common moving scams:
- "No Shows" after you pay upfront or large deposits
- Bait & Switch Pricing - where the quote is low, but movers demand extra payments after the move.
- Hostage Loads - in this scheme, movers won't deliver your goods until you pay additional fees
- Broker Scams - where companies act as middlemen without letting you know they are not the actual movers.
Powers suggests calling the Oklahoma AG's Consumer Protection unit before hiring a mover or any service company to check for complaints.
"We won't tell you what those complaints are, but we can tell you if they do exist, and that can help you kind of ferret out some good companies, " Powers said.
If you do run into issues you can't resolve with the moving company directly, you can file complains with the Consumer Protection Unit of the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, local police or the Federal Trade Commission.
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