Moving is miserable! If you can, you hire a mover and entrust strangers with everything you own. You hope they won’t break or lose anything, but there are worse things.
Moving scams cost unsuspecting customers money, time, and peace of mind. Bad Movers will hold your stuff hostage, double the price, or take your money and disappear with the moving truck.
Bad movers use common moving scams that customers can quickly identify thanks to the red flags.
Read this guide to learn:
- Most common moving scams & how they work
- Bad mover red flags
- How good companies estimate, contract, and deliver
- Simple steps to protect yourself
Learn From These Stories: Don’t Get Duped by a Scam Mover
Your local, intrastate, interstate, or international move should have a happy ending. Hiring a bad moving company and falling for a moving scam is a sad and expensive ending.
The Moving Scam Stories:
Story 1:
You pull into your new driveway, and the mover hands you a bill that’s twice or three times more than the original quote, holding your stuff hostage until you pay it.
Story 2:
The moving truck isn’t there, and the movers won’t answer your last 50 calls.
Story 3:
Your things are thrown into a storage unit you know nothing about and eventually auctioned off.
Story 4:
Your stuff is abandoned in the middle of nowhere, its fate unknown.
Moving scams are difficult to spot, and finding a good moving company is a multistep process. There are ways to avoid hiring a bad mover:
- Know the process of getting estimates, comparing the costs, and asking the right questions.
- Spot the red flags.
A good moving company starts the process with an in-person estimate appointment. An estimator walks with the customer through the house or apartment to understand the size and scope, the inventory and volume of items being moved, the distance, any stops between point A and point B, and whether it’s a full-service move or which specific services are needed.
Planning a Colorado or Utah move? Read our “2025 Local Moving Guide.”
How to Spot These Common Moving Scams & Why They Are Super Effective
Bad movers use common moving scams that customers can quickly identify thanks to the red flags. Read on to learn what they are, why they work, red flags, and what good movers do instead.
Common Moving Scams:
- The Hostage
- Bait and Switch
- Extra Delivery Charges
- Always Late Delivery
- The Abandon
How The Hostage Works: Your Stuff in Their Truck - Pay More $ or Lose It
In most cases, the hostage scammer appears to be a legitimate moving company by giving you a quote. But their prices are quite low, and their timelines seem too good to be true.
The victim signs a vague contract. On moving day, after loading their belongings into a truck, the bad mover adds extra charges and holds the loaded truck hostage until the victim pays the higher amount.
Learn about binding and non-binding estimates.
Why it Works: They have your stuff, so you have two choices:
- Pay more money to get your belongings back.
- Spend more money to buy new stuff.
Red Flag: Unclear contract methods allow them to add extra fees once you no longer have a choice. This often doubles or triples moving costs. You pay additional costs to get the furniture back.
Good Companies: Give you a detailed, written document with a complete inventory of everything you want to move. The estimate lists and outlines each cost, including extra stops, storage, packing, or any extra services.
Look For: A company that focuses on customer service and is willing to discuss the particulars of your written estimate and moving contract before you sign.
How Bait and Switch Works: Moving Day Quote is Surprisingly Over 1st Quote
The bait and switch scammer quotes moving costs, then tries to arrange a new, last-minute deal. They sold you at a low price at the beginning, and it costs much more at the end of the moving day. They love to call the day before and cancel your move unless you agree to a new contract. You’re pressured to pay much more than you agreed to initially.
The Hostage scam is similar because they add charges, leaving you in a difficult position. It’s different because the bait and switch typically happen before they load your shipment. You’re in a difficult position because it’s too late to hire another company.
Why it Works: They threaten to cancel your move so close to moving day. You have two choices:
- Buckle under pressure and accept the new terms.
- Switch to a DIY move and pray a lot of friends will help.
Red Flag: Scammers are vague, provide few details on your written estimate, and don’t communicate or work with you much to plan your move.
Good Companies: Reputable movers won’t cancel a move without notice. Once they agree to a date with you by contract, they fulfill it under the agreed-upon price. You can book a move a few months out, and the contract remains the same. If an unforeseen situation creates a delay, the company will notify you and brainstorm options. Additional charges are typically nominal.
Look For: Transparency about the services they provide and potential challenges.
How the Extra Delivery Charges Scam Works: Pay Unexpected Fees on Moving Day
A scam mover will find reasons to charge additional fees that weren't discussed in the beginning. This often happens with unreputable movers who measure shipments by cubic feet and charge based on shipment size rather than weight. It's easy to under pack boxes, leaving room in the truck to extend the shipment's measured size.
Packing items without asking you first is another tactic bad moving companies use. They will charge more because your goods weren't totally packed and ready for the move.
Why it Works: Bad movers use shipment size rather than weight to cheat, and pack items without asking first, so they can charge you more on moving day.
- You pay additional fees not included in your estimate.
- Risk losing your belongings on moving day.
Red Flag: The mover doesn’t provide details about what’s in your quote or how they calculate costs. Cubic feet calculations sound easy enough, but how will you verify it? If they say your items are "this many" cubic feet of space, is that verifiable?
Good Companies: Most good moving companies charge based on weight or time. Not all movers who measure shipment size in cubic feet are inaccurate. Shipment weight is easily measured and verified by a third-party company.
It’s easier to verify weight from a public, certified scale, or a simple timesheet. Reputable movers will clearly list packing on a good contract. If it's not listed, the mover won't pack unless you agree to it later.
Look For: Most of these scams can be avoided with good communication between you and your mover. Be wary if they seem to avoid talking to you or explaining your quote.
The Always Late Delivery Scam: How it Works & How to Avoid it
This is a classic and devastating scam. Always late scammers arrive on moving day, load your belongings into the truck, and promise to deliver them on a specific date. They call later, telling you that your delivery is delayed because your stuff is in the back of a truck behind two other deliveries. You can't receive your furniture until theirs is delivered first.
In another version, the Department of Transportation impounds the company’s truck in transit for a licensing violation. All your valuables are stuck on board until the truck is released. Either of these situations results in your goods being delivered weeks late...or not at all.
Why it Works: They can't deliver your possessions on the agreed-upon date. The scammer company has your things, and you must wait and see if they deliver them.
- You get your stuff back later than expected.
- You never get your belongings and have to replace everything.
Red Flag: Bad movers don’t give you a firm delivery date range. If the delivery date is blank on your estimate, chances are it’s a scam.
Good Companies: Give you a delivery date range or window instead of a firm date.
Look For: A range of arrival dates and “delay claim” compensation if an unforeseen circumstance prevents your shipment from arriving within that range. All of this will be outlined before you move and left with you in a booklet called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move".
The Abandon Scam: What it is and Why It's the Worst One
This scammer takes your things and never returns them, making it one of the worst. Many unscrupulous moving companies exist for only a few months before disappearing and starting again under a new name. Anyone with a truck, a few dollars, and no experience can register as a mover.
Why it Works: Abandon scammers take your money, load your belongings, then close and flee, leaving your shipment on the truck or in a private storage facility.
- The mover takes your money, your belongings, or both.
- Luckily, you find where they left your belongings, but you pay exorbitant amounts to retrieve them.
Red Flag: The company has bad or zero reviews, no physical address, doesn’t give in-person estimates, or has a short business history.
Good Companies: Deliver your stuff and don’t abandon it in a storage facility without telling you where it is.
Look For: Research the company’s history, years in business, and reviews before hiring them. You want a company with a longer history, a good reputation, and ask if they employ the moving crew rather than acting as a broker to outsource the work.
Dos for Choosing a Good Mover – Have a Good Experience, Not Regrets
We want you to have a good experience, whether you choose Bailey's Moving & Storage or not. We hate bad movers and don’t want you to pick one inadvertently.
Demand an On-Site Estimate: If a company refuses to perform an in-home estimate, it's a red flag. Reviewing your belongings in person with an estimator establishes two things:
- Assures the estimator creates an accurate itemized inventory.
- You can ask the moving company representative as many questions as possible, in person. Good communication is key to avoiding a scam.
Get Three Estimates: Comparing quotes is a great way to spot a potential problem. Significant disparities help you identify fraud. If you show each company the same belongings, their inventories should be identical. Pricing should be the only difference.
Check the Company's Address: A real mover will have a physical address. Get the address because it's worth verifying. Some view the company’s building on Google Maps or visit the facility. Seeing a warehouse with an office and real people working is a good sign that this isn't a scam company.
Ask for Recommendations from Friends and Family or Reviews: Word of mouth from previous customers is one of the best ways to find a great mover. Check out reviews online too, because the number of reviews and what they say help you distinguish a new company from a trusted, reputable one.
Ask your Real Estate Agent: Real estate agents help people move all the time. They are an excellent source to find a good mover.
Choose a Mover who Bases Price on Weight or Time, Not Cubic Feet: Time is more common for local moves, while weight is the standard for long-distance moves. You want a verifiable measure. You can verify time with a timesheet. A public scale can show you heavy and empty weights.
Don’ts to Protect Yourself from a Moving Scam
Things you should never do when you’re moving to help prevent falling into a moving scam.
Don’t Give a Deposit or Pay with Cash: A mover that demands a large deposit upfront likely plans to take your money and run. Pay with a credit card. When you pay cash, there is no proof of your payment if your things aren't moved or you don't get them back.
Don’t Use a Move Broker: Move brokers sell you a moving service but hire a different mover to do the work. They charge you as much as possible and/or hire the cheapest mover. Hire a company that is associated with a van line. They are held to a higher standard than brokers.
Don’t Hire a Company with Non-Branded Trucks: Good moving companies use branded trucks with logos.
Don’t Sign a Partial or Vague Contract: You wouldn’t sign a loan agreement with blanks; the same applies to moving contracts. Make sure the contract is complete and filled in before signing anything. All your household goods should be listed in the contract.
Don’t Skip Valuation Coverage: You can choose your mover’s level of liability for your belongings. A reputable mover offers more than basic moving valuation (like insurance) for better protection when you move. Valuation is important for interstate moves to protect you because the longer the distance, the greater the risk of something breaking.
Don’t Ignore the Claims Policy: Learn how the company processes claims in case you need to file one. Each state has its own regulations for local movers. You can find more interstate claims information by reading the FMCSA’s Rights and Responsibilities When You Move document to find more interstate claims information.
Read more about valuation in our article “Why Valuation is the #1 Thing You Should Know Before You Move.”
Avoid a Moving Scam in 2025
Hiring a moving company helps ease stress and the strain of uprooting your life for a move. Research potential companies, compare quotes, and ask questions. Choose the mover who plans with you, gives you a clear, detailed estimate, and protects your belongings and peace of mind. The more you know, the easier it is to spot red flags and choose a mover who delivers on their promises.
Get a moving estimate and move forward with confidence.
