How to avoid moving scams when moving
Moving to a different country is a difficult task and you should definitely not take it lightly. Apart from dealing with the relocation, you’ll need to pay attention to a lot of other things. The most important of these will be to avoid moving scams when moving internationally.
Because of the development of modern technologies of communication and transport, the world never seemed so small. This is why many people decide to move to a different country to start a new life. When everything feels so close, it’s natural to try and explore it.
Unfortunately, since relocation has become such a popular business, there are many who try to abuse it. You should make sure you avoid these false movers and only hire reliable relocation specialists! This is especially important when moving internationally. With these kinds of relocations, you’ll need to put a lot of the work in your movers’ hands – so make sure they’re trustworthy.
Find a lot of companies
The first thing you’ll need to do, if you want to avoid moving scams when moving internationally, is to find the company which best suits your wants and needs. Look for a moving company in either the country you currently live in or in your destination country. So, for example, if you’re moving from France, you can look for a local moving company. Also, if you’re relocating to the USA, you can look for American movers.
Even though it’s possible to relocate to a different country without professional help, it’s much harder. Don’t make the new life in a new country start with a logistical nightmare. Rely on your movers to help you through the process.
But, how can we rely on our movers when we’re not sure if they’re moving scams? Well, that’s easy! You should find a lot of potential moving companies to choose from and decide on the final one which will move you to a new country.
How to recognize reliable movers?
There are a lot of things which differentiate good movers from the fake ones. Checking all of them is another step you can take to avoid moving scams when moving internationally. Start with the ones which are easy to check:
Phone number – a number which you can call to get all the necessary information about your relocation before you move. Some of the fraudulent movers can also have a phone line.
websites usually make a business more transparent and legitimate, so check if your candidates have websites. In addition to this, a good looking website with content is better than just a page with some information.
License number – all international moving companies should have a license from an association for international relocation. There are a few of those, so make sure you check the authenticity of this organization as well.
Address – all reliable movers have an office at the address in their information and offices on the mentioned address.
Before you choose your movers
Unfortunately, even if your potential movers have all of the information we mentioned above, there’s still a chance they’re fraudulent movers. Even though this makes your choice a little bit more difficult, don’t despair! There are ways to uncover even the trickiest relocation scammer and avoid frauds when moving.
Visit offices
Even though some companies may have an address on file, that’s as far as it goes. Visiting the offices of your mover is an excellent way to avoid moving scams when moving internationally. Not only will you be able to see if the offices are really there, but you’ll be able to check the professionalism of the company by looking at their work space. At Active Moving, we’re happy to show you our work space and answer all your questions, so feel free to contact us about your next international relocation.In addition to this, you should use this opportunity to talk to some of the company’s representatives and employees.
Don’t be afraid to ask them as many questions as you can about your relocation. It’s not hard to find a few people to act as your employees if you’re a scammer. However, meeting the same amount of professionalism and knowledge of moving will be hard for anyone but professional movers.
Get an estimate
Another good way to test your potential movers and avoid moving scams when moving internationally is to ask for an estimate from them. An estimate is an assessment of your moving costs your movers will make before the move. So, for example, if South Florida could be your next destination, ask your international movers to give you an estimate of your moving costs. Scammers and fraudulent movers will avoid giving you a contractual or binding estimate.
What are the markers of good international movers?
You can avoid moving scams when moving internationally by recognizing a good moving company when you see it. There are certain qualities which only the best movers will show. Thus, you can use these to help you choose your next moving company.
reliable – punctual and true to their word.
experienced – only the most experienced movers can safely relocate all your belongings internationally.
well connected – in order to be able to move all your items to a different country, the movers will need to ship your things or transport them in some other way. This is why they need to have good relationships with shipping services all over the world or have their own shipping vessels.
– easy to contact and responsive. Good movers should reply to your inquiries in 12 hours at the most!
have good reviews – hiring only the companies with good reviews can help you avoid moving scams when moving internationally.
Keep in mind that good international movers can provide the help you’ll need when moving nationwide as well. This goes both ways, too! Good long-distance movers might have the necessary permits to help you move to a different country.
Finally, learn to trust your instincts! If something feels wrong, get out of there! You have an innate sense of knowing when things are not right and you should use it to avoid moving scams when moving internationally.
