Moving is a major undertaking. It’s essential to hire the right people for the job. While Austin is a big city with plenty of exceptional movers, many moving scams still exist. If you’re not careful, you could be the next victim. 

Obviously, you don’t want that to happen, right? That’s why you’re out here on the internet looking for information. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five major red flags to watch out so you don’t get scammed by an Austin moving company.

1. There’s Not Much Info About Your Movers

Credible movers always try to get on everybody’s radars. They want people to know about them. A good reputation equals more customers. That’s why if your potential movers don’t seem to have a substantial presence, you should start having second thoughts.

Rogue movers prefer to lay low so they won’t get tipped off to authorities by their previous victims. Here are some ideas on how to check your mover’s credibility.

• Ask them to provide their USDOT number. This number is assigned to all moving companies registered to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Failure to provide one automatically deems a company as an illegal business.
• Evaluate their website. Rogue movers often don’t have websites, and when they do, it’s poorly done. The site doesn’t necessarily have to look extravagant or high-end. Some legit mover pages even rock a minimalistic design. Look at the content instead. Does it feel professional and appropriate? Do their testimonials come from actual people? Also, try to look out for missing pages like contact information or a poorly-written about us page.
• Check online reviews. The experiences of other people are your most valuable source of information. Just remember to look for reviews on Yelp and Google since it would be difficult to fake those sites.

However, keep in mind that there are also new companies out there looking to build their names. They may not have an extensive reach, yet they offer excellent services. Make sure you do your research so you can distinguish a rogue from a new company.

2. Your Movers Can’t Answer Your Questions

Or they try to provide an answer, but you don’t feel confident with the response. See, legitimate movers who have been in the industry for a long time won’t even need a second to answer your question. They’ve been doing this job for years that they know all the ins-and-outs of the industry.

On the other hand, rogue movers will have a hard time responding when thrown a complicated question like something about piano moving, for example. They haven’t actually performed the job before. That’s why they won’t have a clue about the process.

3. They Ask You to Pay a Large Deposit Upfront

If your movers do this, don’t bother following up. You won’t be hearing from them after you deposit the money. Legit moving companies always finish the move first before asking for payment. It’s a fundamental act of professionalism. You should also look out when the movers provide you a ‘too good to be true’ estimate. The moment you take the bait, they’ll take your belongings hostage and ask a large amount before completing the move.

4. They Don’t Discuss Liability Coverage Clearly

When you try to bring the topic to your movers, watch out for these lines or something that sounds similar:

‘We’ve been doing this stuff for years. There’s no way we’ll mess your things up.’

‘Just trust us. The last thing we want to happen is to break or lose something in your inventory.’

And then they brush you off the liability talk. That’s a major deal-breaker right there. Even if they’re the best in the world, humans make mistakes. No one knows what can happen. That’s why you want to ensure that you’ll get the favorable end of the stick if things go south.

Speaking of accountability, your moving company must at least provide basic protection coverage. How does it work? The movers will have to pay you $0.60 per pound of a lost or damaged item. However, you might want to get full-value protection when moving expensive stuff. If your movers happen to break your $2000 TV, they’ll have to cover the repairs or replace it with a new one.

5. Your Movers Will Make You Sign Shady Documents

Never sign a contract without reading it. Rogue movers like to come up with fake arrangements containing loopholes or conditions that’ll be disadvantageous for you in the long run. So make it a habit to review any document first before putting your signature on it. 

And that’s it! Keep these five things in mind, and you’ll be good to go! Now, time to start looking for a reliable Austin moving company to help you out!