While the internet has become an indispensable tool for purchasing goods and services, there’s one area to be cautious in: your move.
Many of the sites you’ll turn up when doing a search for moving companies, are sites that look incredibly legitimate- like an actual moving company! In fact, many sites are merely masquerading as legitimate sites and are acting as moving brokers.
In my previous posts, I discussed important questions to ask when it comes to your move, which were both related to using a moving broker.
And, in those posts I also said that not all moving brokers are bad, but that caution should be exercised. While you can exercise caution when using a moving broker, I feel it’s best to avoid them altogether and here’s why:
- Moving brokers ARE NOT professional estimators. Since brokers have no moving trucks and have no idea how much space boxes and household goods take up on a truck, they aren’t skilled at giving an accurate moving estimate. And, if your moving estimate isn’t accurate, you could end up paying thousands of dollars more for your move, depending on what type of quote was given.
- No vested interest. A moving broker has no vested interest in your actual move; they only have an interest in booking your move. Therefore, they will not do anything to make certain the price of your move doesn’t go up. In fact, there have been many individuals who’ve gotten caught in this predicament: the moving broker gives a low-ball quote and the moving company can require additional monies on delivery due to certain loopholes in the law.
Personally, I think it’s so easy to find a reputable moving company that using a moving broker is completely unnecessary. But, if you’ve found yourself in the midst of a moving broker scam, make sure you file a complaint with the FMSCA, pronto!
