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How to Avoid Moving Scams? Top 8 Tips to Avoid Moving Scams

Cross Country Moving How to Avoid Moving Scams

Moving scams are a terrible thing to go through as a customer. Trusting a moving company to move and store all of your belongings, but only to have your belongings held to ransom before the delivery is completed. 

There are many tips to avoid a moving scam.

Many moving scams take place every year, and the majority of them come from long distance or cross country moving. Yes, it is legal to pay for additional services that were not included in your estimate, but you should be notified prior and know the cost upfront. How do you find a reliable cross country moving company when there are so many companies looking for your business. 

1. Choose a company that has the experience and specializes in long-distance moving. 

A cross country moving company with a proven track record of successful moves has a reputation to uphold and is much more likely to treat you fairly. Not to mention if the company specializes in these types of moves, they know everything to help you out the most. If the company runs an actual moving scam, its reputation will be on the line, and they will lose their credibility. 

2. Check Online Reviews

The best way to check if the company is legit and is running their business the correct way is to check all review sites you can find them on. You should check google reviews, www.mymovingreviews.com, BBB, Etc. The best way is just to google their business name and scan through everything you can. Remember that any company can have an occasional incident, bad review, or report; however, a pattern of poor customer service should be a red flag. Like most illegitimate businesses, moving scams will always be tracked, and you can easily spot this on review sites. 

3. Reference Request

It might sound like an odd request but ask for references. A great & reputable moving company should give you a couple of past customers who have had great experiences. If the moving company you are speaking with cannot give you a couple of references or refuses, you should probably move on to the next one. This moving tip will help you weed out a moving scam. 

4. Information Upfront 

To help better avoid a moving scam when selecting a moving company upfront, ask them to explain their process on how they conduct business. What is the cancellation policy, how many days in advance? Do you have to cancel, what is their refund policy, Etc? If they are a moving broker, did they disclose this information up front? Have the moving company send you a copy of the agreement you will sign to review the language.  

5. Licensed, Bonded, & Insured 

Be sure the moving company you are selecting is registered with the DOT and is bonded and insured, which will help cover any damage that might occur during the move and make sure that the actual moving company is legit. If you are using a moving broker, have them disclose the carrier information that they will be used to execute your move. Most moving scams the moving company will possess some of this, but this will help eliminate any companies that are not qualified. 

6. Numerous Names 

Many moving companies that run moving scams will change their business name repeatedly to keep running the same scam but look like a different company. The moving company looks like they just changed their name, ask if they were running under a different company in the past, or ask for their business license. Is the name of their business different from the website? Moving scams usually run the same scams, so it should be easy to spot out. 

7. Fake Online Moving Companies 

There are many fraudulent online moving companies just looking to collect your information. Most of the time, you will be looking at an actual moving company (carrier) and a moving broker if you land on a moving company website. Please be sure that the site has contact information for you to contact them directly. To help avoid a moving scam, understanding the difference between a broker and an actual moving company (carrier) will help you determine what to look for in a company. A good moving broker will shop their carriers to help get you the best moving service and price for your moving details. A moving company (carrier) will have actual trucks and warehouse space to facilitate the actual move. 

8.Book in Advance

Another tip to help avoid moving scams is to book in advance, so you are not in a rush to find a reputable moving company to facilitate your move. Booking in advance will help give you time to vet moving companies before booking and paying a deposit to reserve your moving slot. 

At Vanity Van Lines, we are looking to change the moving industry one move at a time to help people move well. We believe in disclosing all information upfront and taking care of our customers like they are family. Please, do not hesitate to contact us if you need help. 

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Cheaper To Move on Your Own?

One of the biggest questions many families face when moving is whether to hire professionals or just do the work themselves. Like most things the answer is not so cut and dry, but hopefully getting some insight on what it takes to move from one location to the other will give some insight on which option is best for you and your loved ones. There are instances where, economically, it just makes sense to get a few buds, a few beers, and a borrowed pick-up and get it done. Often times, you save loads of stress, headaches, and hard earned money just hiring professionals to help.  Let’s look at a few different scenarios and explore how a move should look for each, depending on your situation you should understand when is the BEST TIME TO HIRE A MOVER.

Self Move:

Moving long distance from state to state requires a truck. Depending on the size of your home and what’s inside. This can range anywhere from an 8 foot pick-up, to a 10’, 15’, 17’, 20’, and 26’ foot box truck.   Prices fluctuate wildly and sizes are highly dependent on location and time of year. You also need to have insurance and cover the fuel cost for the move.

“DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, IT TURNED OUT COSTING US LESS TO GO WITH PROFESSIONAL MOVERS.” Pam G. ,Spokane,WA to Tucson,AZ

Moving trucks don’t include pad wraps or blankets to protect your furniture, so you will have to pay extra for those supplies. Hand carts or dollies are extra, and any packing material for that matter. Whether going with a mover or taking a DYI approach, you will always save money if you ORDER AFFORDABLE BOXES ONLINE. Going long distances (over 800 miles) leaves lots of room for mishandling for an inexperienced driver in a vehicle so large. Too wide a turn or too hard a brake and your valuables will look like scrambled eggs when you arrive at your new place, and your items are not covered by insurance.

  • Speaking of scrambled eggs, one of the biggest factors people who aren’t experienced with moving often forget is how to actual pack the truck. If done wrong, this will lead to damages out the gate. When professional movers pack a truck, each item is strategically placed to support the other. Cargo should be loaded securely with intent and packed almost like sardines. If you’ve ever looked in the back of a professionally packed moving truck, it almost looks like a big game of Tetris back there, but trust me, the movers weren’t playing, and this is done by design to ensure structural integrity while your goods are in transit.  Having friends to help unload is simple enough, and anyone who can carry an item can lend a hand, however, loading should always be done by an experienced hand.Often times people take for granted the physical effort that goes into moving a home all day. Well, maybe that part is a no brainer, but they often miss one important factor when moving long distance; the drive. You would think that would be a given but driving long distance is already a tall order in itself and most people dread the journey, even the most traveled road trippers feel the lag of hours upon hours of driving at times. Imagine doing that after packing and loading a full truck. Even if you were to take the first night off to rest before driving, even the best of us need a day or two to recover.Once you’re on the road, if you have help, it would be considerate of you to swing for meals, leg stretches and bathroom breaks. If the distance is longer than 800 miles, chances are, after packing and loading and going a good distance, you’re going to want to get a hotel or motel room to rest before hitting the road.

    Most moving trucks average about 8-10 miles per gallon. Last year, gas prices averaged out to $2.92 per gallon across state lines. Some areas were even higher than that, and at peak times the entire country saw major climbs in rates.  By the time you get to your destination, fuel costs alone could make a huge dent in your relocation budget.

    Once there, you have to unload the truck. Fill it up again and return it. The fun isn’t over just yet. Remember the unloading is done, but the unpacking part has just begun. If you’re moving for a new job or fresh start, then the last thing you want to do is start your first day with sore muscles and spaghetti legs, especially if you waited for the last minute. Hopefully you’ve already arranged for necessary HOME SERVICES such as INTERNET, CABLE, PHONE, and HOME SECURITY services.. Not sure how soon to start coordinating a move read BEST TIME TO HIRE A MOVER. Moving is stressful. It’s exhausting, and it is arduous, but it doesn’t have to be.

    Hire a mover.

    When looking for a full service mover the heaviest thing you have to lift is your phone. Call Vanity Van Lines. We will take all of the stress and frustration out of the move for you, and oftentimes , at a lower cost than doing it yourself. Call Today.  Your moving specialist is standing by to help.

  • Call Now : 1-833-Van-Relo // 1-833-826-7356
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Difference between Brokers & Carriers and How to Protect Your Move

Often times, I get asked “are you a broker?” and it’s not usually in a friendly tone. I don’t mind the question; in fact I love when clients ask, because it gives me an opportunity to educate the consumer. Knowing all of the information lets the consumer make an informed decision, and armed with the knowledge of how moving works, most customer are able to make the right choice for their needs. Many people don’t realize that in most cases it benefits them to use a broker.  The word “broker” doesn’t have to be a dirty word. In fact, when you are looking for the best loan for your new home you call a mortgage broker, when you want to know which companies are the best to invest your money in, you cal l a stock broker, and when you want be sure that the carrier who is moving your goods is the best for your specific needs, you call Vanity Van Lines.

We have a carrier network of great people doing great work in each state, from state to state. Each carrier is vetted and must comply with quality of service requirements to stay in our network, and DOT authority audits are done monthly. In fact, because we regulate and control customer service complaints and claims, 3 complaints about a carrier in a calendar year from clients is an automatic termination of our carrier and broker agreement. Two complaints within a 90 day window is a suspension of service.

“I must have talked to 15 different carriers who all ended up either costing too much or had horrible reputations online. In the end one phone call with my (Vanity Van Lines) moving specialist and everything was done.” Doris Kellis Griffin , Ithaca, NY to Naples, FL.

  • Your requirement is our wish
  • Moving is quick and easy
  • We are affordable

There are tens of thousands of carriers at any given moment throughout the U.S. and Vanity Van Lines always connects you with the best at a fraction of what major van lines charge. So, you save money. C
Brokers are not all bad or out to under-cut their carrier partners, we work with honest companies, from mom and pop operations to mid-size and larger lines. Carriers are a valued asset and partner, but the consumer is always first and the relationship is built with their trust.

A little understanding of what brokers do might be needed.
Brokers are the outsourced logistics management partner of their carrier network who desires a single point of supply chain management to free up their resources to focus on their core business.

Carriers who utilize Brokers are small to mid volume mom and pops who looking to the broker partner to be their virtual staff which manages, schedules and tracks all aspects of their freight needs including the staff resources to manage and the costs involved in moving their freight to coordinating multiple lanes to get their freight from A to B in multiple destinations.

From a carrier perspective (in the above scenario) it defeats the purpose of outsourcing logistics if they had in-house management to coordinate multiple single source providers to meet their household moving needs.

Larger carriers have in-house brokerage authority and staff but in the case of a single or independent carrier they rely on brokers and this relationship not only keeps your cost down, but because these carriers rely on the brokers who have them in network for most or all of their business, your broker is acting as an advocate on your behalf and has the leverage and responsibility to ensure quality of service.

Many carriers also broker their moves in-house. So the next time a carrier tells you not to go with a broker, ask them if they use a broker and if they’re any good they might say Vanity Van Lines. We price match any reputable moving company’s quote. So give us a call and compare rates.

Quote

“My (Vanity Van Lines) relo specialist really helped me to understand everything I should expect for my move, and it went exactly as planned. I’m glad I called. There’s no way I would have made this work in such a short time on my own.”
Adrian Hanover, San Diego, CA to Elon, NC. 

© Copyright Vanity Van Lines, 2021 All Rights Reserved Please note that a properly licensed interstate broker, such as Vanity Van Lines, is not a motor carrier and will not transport an individual shipper’s household goods, but will coordinate and arrange for the transportation of household goods by an FMCSA authorized motor carrier, whose charges will be determined by it’s published tariff. All estimated charges and final actual charges will be based upon the carrier’s tariff which is available for inspection from the carrier upon reasonable request. (*) 70% OFF on Tariff Rates. US DOT: 3316144 MC:1054288