Ways to avoid moving scams in Florida

People often underestimate how important it is to avoid moving scams in Florida. Whatever moving guide you find it will tell you to pack carefully and to find good movers. If it is a specific one, it might tell you about the documents needed for pet relocation or how to recycle moving supplies. But, few of them actually talk about avoiding moving scams. Well, this is an error that we strive to correct. So, in order to avoid needless headaches and potential lawsuits, have a read and learn how to recognize and avoid moving scams.

Online signs

Every moving project starts online. It is simply how things are done nowadays. While you need to find good residential movers Miami and read up on the place you are moving to, there is one more thing that you need to look into. And that is figuring out how to spot potential moving scams. You need to avoid moving scams at all cost, which is why it is necessary to spot even the potential ones. Luckily, there are reliable ways for you to do this online. That way you will filter out many fraudulent movers that would otherwise scam you.

No presence on social media / no company website

So, let’s begin the filtering process. Start off by going to google and finding the movers that you want to check out. If the movers don’t have any website or have no presence on social media, stay away. The moving company that has no online presence is either new or doesn’t care about providing a decent moving service. Either way, you should not risk working with such a company. Even if they don’t scam you, there is a good chance that they won’t provide you with a good moving service. So, do yourself a favor and stay away from moving companies with no online presence.

Online reviews

Now let us assume that the company has an online presence. What you now need to do is to look for moving reviews. They don’t have any? Stay away! A company that doesn’t have any moving reviews is either new or deletes them. There are sites like Yelp, Facebook and Google that can provide unbiased online reviews. So, for starters, no online reviews, no good.

Online reviews help avoid moving scams in Florida
Checking online reviews is the first thing you need to do in order to avoid moving scams in Florida.

The next bad sign is when a company has only extremely positive online reviews. Remember, online reviews can be tempered with. Movers can review themselves or they can delete bad reviews. So, if you want to avoid moving scams in Florida, don’t work with companies that only have super positive reviews. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is true. As one of the more moving companies in Florida, we can confidently tell you that there is no way to please everyone. There is always going to be some spoiled immature person that is not satisfied, no matter what you do. And, as you probably know, such people are loud. But, the one good thing about them, is that they allow you to see if the moving company is filtering their reviews.

Using moving estimates

Now that you are done with reviews, you need to get moving estimates. It is best to consider moving estimates as tools for finding fraudulent movers. They are a weapon that you use to cut away the bad, corrupted movers and let the good, trustworthy ones shine through. So, when asked, “How many online moving estimates should you get?” The answer should always be “As much as possible!“. The more moving estimates you have the better you will be able to use them.

Moving estimates
The more moving estimates you get, the safer and cheaper your move will be.

The way in which you use moving estimates is this. Firstly, they will help you figure out how much your relocation is going to cost. True, they will not give you an exact price. But, the more of them you have the better of an idea you will make. Next, if the moving estimate is too large or too low, stay away. You would’ve probably stayed away from a large estimate anyhow, but it doesn’t hurt to mention. But, why should you stay away from a low one? Simple. If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. A low estimate is the first step in one of the most common moving scams.

Interview movers order to avoid moving scams in Florida

You may be done with using the internet to avoid moving scams in Florida, but you are not done with the whole process. If you followed the steps that we have outlined, you should have a healthy list of moving companies to choose from. But, as it is with all filters, some fraudulent moving companies may have slithered through. Luckily, there are ways in which you can recognize such movers, but you will need to meet them face to face.

Talking with movers
You need to meet with your movers to see how trustworthy they really are.

Red flags

Meeting movers face to face gives you the opportunity to feel them out. Some red flags to keep in mind in order to avoid moving scams in Florida are:

  • Movers being too pushy.
  • They are keeping certain aspects of relocation hidden from you.
  • They do not want to explain something to you.
  • Telling to just “Not worry about it.
  • Not being clear about certain prices for their services.
  • Being too eager to work with you.

Fraudulent movers only want to you sign the contract and give them your stuff. So, if the movers are trying too hard, and being vague and non-specific while doing so, stay away from them. If there is a moving contract to sign, read it carefully. Get legal counsel if necessary, but make sure that you understand what you are getting yourself into. Only then can you be sure that you avoided a potential moving scam.