Bonita Springs Movers

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• 
  May 28, 2019 14:46

  Moving Tips

  Finally, you have gotten a new apartment after all the stress. Now, you are wondering how you will move. Out of every moving phase, one of the most important parts is the mover. If you have a crappy mover, you may have a crappy moving job in your hands. This is why it is of great importance that you look for a good mover. How can you tell a professional from a scam? When you get the moving company, you have to be rest assured that they will do the right job. This is why it is advisable to run a background check on the moving company. How good are they? Have they had clients that complained? Have prior clients complained about things getting missing? It is important to know that the mover you use will have access to you, your properties, and your new home.

   

  Below are tips that you should follow to get good movers and not scams.

   

  1. Large Down Payment

   

  Usually, a lot of legitimate movers only request that you make a bit of a down payment before the job is done. They do not ask for everything to be paid before they move your things.

   

  After asking for small down payment before they start the job, they expect that you make the rest payment on delivery, immediately they are done with the job.

  This allows the firm to be held liable for ensuring that your properties get to their destination quickly and in a safe manner.

   

  If you see a moving company that requests that you make a large down payment, you should consider taking your business elsewhere because that screams of scam.

   

  Once they get the entire sum before movement, what will make them come over on the D-day and move you?

   

  2. Cash-Only Payments

   

  One thing you should know is that if you made a cash payment, you tend to get a higher value for your cash, but once you notice that it is only cash payments that the movers accept, you should be careful. If they don't accept anything else, apart from cash, you should run to the hills. It is advisable that you opt for credit card payments because it leaves a paper trail. If you have some disputes, how can you prove that you made payments if you opted for cash? The paper trail of a credit card can act as proof.

   

  One can tell a legitimate mover from those that are scammed by looking at how many payments forms that they have. If they don't have more than one, you should consider taking your business elsewhere. Ask them if they accept credit payments, as a legitimate one should. After that, you can decide to use such a payment form or cash.

   

  3. Extremely Low Rates

   

  A company that asks for a large down payment should leave you suspicious; the same can be said for very low rates. If you notice that the rates are too low, your red flag meter should start waving.

   

  One thing you should know is that moving is not a job that is done for a very affordable price. No one can do that, that's the basic truth. One thing you should note is that moving is not affordable, and once you find something like that, there is a great chance that it is a scam.

   

  The moving firm has vehicles to take care of and fuel; it also has employees that it has to pay and so on.

   

  Whatever estimates a moving company gives you should be compared with different estimates from another firm. How does it look like? Are the estimates too cheap for now? One thing you should know is that scams will give you a very cheap estimate at first, then on a moving day, they tell you that the rates have increased because of one flimsy reason or the other. At that moment, they know that finding a moving company will be almost impossible for you.

   

  4. No Logo

   

  It won't be a bad idea to look at their moving trucks. If you can, please do. See what kind of moving trucks they use. Are their logos on the trucks? Do the trucks look good or seem like things that came out of a freak show? These things should be considered. If you can't see the trucks, you can ask around. Who has used the moving company before? Did they use a marked moving truck or not?

   

  If you notice that your moving company comes on the D-day with a truck that is not marked with their logo, or a rental truck, you should become suspicious.

   

  Every legitimate mover embeds their logo on their moving truck, and that's the basic truth. Many of these movers use a rolling billboard to advertise their firm, while they get paid to move your properties around. If you notice that your moving company doesn't have a logo on the truck, and you can't see their phone number on it, there is a great chance that it can't be termed a legitimate one.

   

  5. No Address or Office

   

  A lot of companies, especially the movers, have running and updated websites. Their online presence can give you a hint if the company is legitimate or not. The internet is a perfect place to find scams. Sometimes, it is advised that before you use a product or service, you search the internet to see how legitimate it is. You can start by searching the name of the product or company and put 'scam' on it. There is a great chance that you will get hits if the company is a scam. Look at the moving company's website. How does it look like? Did you notice reviews? How genuine do they look? Do some companies fake their reviews? Do they have similar wording?

   

  Does the website have an address of the mover written there? Is the address just a city or a P.O. box? Whatever moving company that you opt for should have an address.

   

  Once you see the address, it is important to find out if it is genuine. You can track out if an address is really a building that houses companies or merely an empty lot. Find out yourself if you don't want to be scammed or be offered crappy services.

   

  6. No Bill of Lading

   

  Every legitimate mover will ask to sign a contract with you. Immediately you agree to use them; they will expect that you append your signature on their contract, this is usually called a Bill of Lading (BOL).

   

  What the bill of lading contains are things like estimated price, delivery date, as well as the needed supplies. Whatever BOL that you append your signature on should have words that specify that you won't have to make extra payments like driver's fee or compulsory tip. What you agreed on should be what is paid. This should be written on the contract.

   

  The BOL shouldn't be ignored because it ensures that both your properties and interests should be protected. You don't want your properties missing.

   

  7. Many Extreme Reviews

   

  Look at the reviews of the company, how are they like? Before you hire any moving company, you have to look at their reviews? Are they commendable or scary? If you notice that they have amassed a lot of negative reviews, you should consider running to the hills. This most likely means that their services are nothing to write home about and should be avoided.

   

  If you notice that every review there seems too positive, then there is a great chance that the reviews were faked.

   

  Look at the reviews that were written concerning a moving company on a popular review site before you make that decision.

   

  A great way to see if a company is legitimate or a scam is to see if they have been certified as a ProMover at American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA).

   

  This program was created in a bid to find scam movers while telling clients what movers are professional and reputable.

   

  If you can't find your moving company there, then you know what to do, run for your life.

   

  8. Scheduling Trouble

   

  If you notice that the movers keep postponing the move, then you should become very suspicious. Sometimes, change of schedule may occur, but it should only be once. Once it becomes more than one, you should consider running to the hills, when the scheduling changes become a lot, there is a high tendency that it is a scam. Try and look for another mover.

   

  If you wait for this moving company, you may notice that in the end, you will be frustrated. One thing we advise people to do is never tolerate tardiness that occurs more than once because you may end up paying for it. This is why when you sign a contract, you look at the conditions attached to it. Are there any hints that you can't back out of the contract as long as you give them the necessary notification? If there are, this may affect you later when you notice that they are tardy. At that moment, you won't be able to do without them because you agreed to unfavorable terms. Whatever contract you sign should have the terms that are beneficial to you.

   

  9. Lax Phone Etiquette

   

  When you call them on the phone, how do they sound? Do they sound like they are bored and irritated by your call? Do they sound professional? Once you call them, what do they say? Do they state the name of the moving company? If you call a cross country moving company, and they answer with 'movers,' or 'hello,' you may be onto a rogue mover. Are they nice? Or rude? No matter how nice they are, and there is no level of professionalism in the way that they interact with you, they are most likely a scam.

   

  Call them on the phone and listen to their tone. What did you notice about the interactions? Are they too playful? Too serious?

   

  One thing you should note that is if they are either too playful or too serious, then there is a problem. They should be friendly and professional at the same time.

   

  Try to hear what's happening at the background while the conversation is ongoing. Is the person on the other end, shushing someone close to him? Can you hear kids playing about? What of screaming? It is quite easy to find out if someone is a scam or not by listening. Sometimes, the signs may be there, but since you are not alert, you may not notice them.

   

  This saves you from falling into the arms of a scam.

   

  10. No On-Site Quote

   

  A lot of moving firms are known to send their representative to your home before they come up with an estimate. This is done because the moving prices usually are not dependent on solely the distance between the old house and the new one. It also encompasses the number of properties you have, and how much they weigh.

   

  A lot of homeowners usually possess more properties than they may have thought. A professional representative looks at the house and tries to draft a quote that is dependent on the estimated weight.

   

  If you get a mover and they don't come to see what you have in your apartment, your red flag meter should be moving. A good mover must come to your house to look at what you have, and make estimates from there.

   

  Why is this important? If they don't come to see what you have, they may end up giving an estimate that's not realistic.

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• 
  Jul 24, 2019 09:13

  How To

  No matter how smart you might claim to be, when you are unfamiliar with a particular terrain, your chances of getting scammed are high. The scams can come in many different forms, and you could fall a victim of one of the styles or become a victim of more than one type on the same day. You have to get the necessary knowledge and information that will help you stay away from any scam you might encounter from local movers. Imagine being scammed to pay certain additional fees, with your belongings seized until you pay. Or having to pay extra fees on your insurance. The scams come differently, but you have to also be smart to understand it and prevent it.

   

  Finding the ideal company can be a bit of a problem because of all the things that are involved in it. One problem you might be faced with is your eagerness to move. You might be so excited to move that you hire any moving company that comes to mind, or pops up on your screen first. Another situation is that you might be tempted by offers that look too good. Some unlicensed and unprofessional movers can also be on the internet pretending to be excellent in service and ripping people off. The things that can make you fall are numerous but the information is power.

   

  Being a victim of a scam can be very disheartening, and we hate to see you get disappointed. There are sometimes psychological and emotional afterthoughts that come as a result of the scam. In a trial to stop or help you avoid the scams in every possible way, we have come up with useful tips, and advice to save you the stress of being scammed, and protecting your property and saving you time to focus on other productive things.

   

  Most useful tips you can help yourself with avoiding moving scams

   

  1. Choose a Company With a Good Reputation

   

  The idea of writing these tips is to guide you in making your choices so that you do not get scammed. It is not hard to come by a reputable company. It’s all up to you to sit down and do your findings yourself, this way you will be able to choose the best. Trust me, when you search for a moving company that has a long track record of quality services, you reduce your chances of getting scammed. Companies that understand what it means to have a good name over trying to make money immediately are the best types of companies to work with.

   

  If you have been following our previous posts, you will understand that we have given you some tips on how to find these reputable companies, but if you missed them, here’s a summary.

   

  The best way to get them is by asking out friends and family on what movers they have tried before and what was their level of satisfaction. Once this is answered, you will be left with some choices which you now have to make more inquiries so that you can get the best from them. Be careful to listen carefully and regard any warning they give to you. You have to make sure a no is a no, do not consider even if they seem to be enticing.

   

  Another way is for you to run research yourself. Once you run this research, you will be able to determine what’s best for you. Shortlist a few companies you have background knowledge about, and make a call to them one by one to sample their opinions and prices. Finally, you should take to the internet and see what people are talking about them. Be cautious of the red flag and make sure you follow your instincts when they refuse some companies.

   

  Another thing to look for in a good and honest company is that they have insurance, and they are licensed. Surely, the government will never give license to a company that scams, and even if they do after they notice they revoke their rights to operate as a moving company. So these are the things you need to look out for when you are thinking of a moving company with a good reputation. It saves you a lot of stress and also gives you the confidence to trade with them.

   

  Insurance comes in handy, especially for those who are going to have a long distance move or those who have special, expensive, and very important items they cannot lose. If this is the case, then you have to make sure you hire insured movers. When you do not hire insured movers, you have to bear the brunt of whatever comes your way from the scammers. They will take your most prized possessions and vanish into thin air, and most times, there is nothing you can do about it.

   

  Added to the fact that you must hire a company that has insurance, you must also make sure you the insurance claim the provide you with is not bogus or reasonable. If they ever say their insurance covers the entirety of your items with no extra charges, you need to get suspicious as this is practically impossible. Every moving insurance must have two forms – one is the released value insurance, where you don’t have to pay, and the other is the full value protection where you have to pay.

   

  2. Planning Ahead Cuts you Some Serious Problems

   

  We always advise everyone packing or planning a move to start early. You almost cannot miss it when you start early because of the length of time you have in making a lot of solid decisions. So plan way back before you even decide to box the items. No matter the circumstance or situation that might be around your moving, it is always better to take time out to make adequate plans to help you through the move and also to help beat the scam.

   

  Many companies are excellent at ripping off desperate customers. When you come to them at the very last minute, or with few moments to go, they end up making a lot more over your head than they would if you come on a good day without tension. Moving companies equally tell many people to book down their move long before the actual date. This way you will be at least assured that your date will not be moved. Seeing how desperate you will appear to be during the last-minute move, you will give in to anyone who promises to excellent services when you need them the most.

   

  3. Question Offers Critically

   

  After making your finding from a couple of moving companies, you then get in touch with this company that offers you an amount respectably low from the others you have enquired from. It is very normal to be tempted because you want to save money, cut down a few dollars, and use the money for something else. Whatever the situation is, you should be able to look into these types of deals and see if any shady. Do not just jump at the offer. Take your time to compare.

   

  You need to be careful with scammers because they can cause you a lot of issues if they are not properly managed after you have hired them. They tend to give you a lower price, and when it’s the delivery day, they will seize your belongings and ask you to pay some additional fee. If you do not comply, they continue to hold your items. If you dare make a move to take them to court, they will vanish with your property forever. Now you will have to start life all over, and you end up losing what you thought you could gain.

   

  4. Watch out for Moving Companies That Ask for Full Upfront Payment

   

  Most first-timers always fall for this scheme. After making inquiries with their selected moving company, they are asked to pay the complete amount before the day of the move. This might not seem to you as a big deal, but most of these scamming companies do this to take your money away, and you fall victim even before moving a single item from your home. You have to open your mind up and search for the companies that will require you to only make part payment.

   

  Reputable movers will always ask that you go on a contract and the both of you have your contracts signed while you have your copy. If anything goes wrong, then you can use your contract as evidence against them. Some of these moving companies that ask for full payment do not even exist in the first place, they only have a well-advertised scamming scheme, and you fall for it. It might be too late for you to realize that they will never come after you make payments, or they disappear with all of your property, yes! Your entire property and that is more gain for them because they get to sell it off.

   

  5. Get the necessary Recommendations From Reliable Sources

   

  Your first reliable source when it comes to issues of moving and selecting a company that you feel is dim fit to help you is to get the information from those who have successfully moved. They might be family members, your relatives, your colleagues, your friends, and even your neighbors. They are the ones that will give you the best types of information without bending the truth. So if you want something raw, and very direct, you should ask them. They will never try to paint any company to be good (except if they own the company of course) so make use of that information in deciding.

   

  Also, remember that reputable companies don’t have issues with getting positive reviews from satisfied customers. It is essential; once you choose to hire a company, you need to make sure you are paying close attention to how they are reviewed. They should also be able to give you the contact details of their past satisfied customers, if they refuse, then understand that you are headed for a ditch. Scan through various websites and see if they even have an online presence. If they do, check out the consistency of their ratings, if it seems as though they have bad ratings on a platform and good ratings elsewhere, be suspicious because it might have been paid reviews.

   

  6. Try The Credit Card Test

   

  This works most of the times when you are dealing with moving companies that want to scam you. Tell them that all you have to pay is with your credit card. Professional and reliable companies will never have an issue with that, but fake movers will insist on a cash-only policy. If they continue to persist this request, make sure you look elsewhere. Try out another moving company, and you will see the difference. It’s a simple trick to use in knowing who is fake and who is not. But do not limit your test to this alone, make sure you apply other methods.

   

  7. Try to Search for Quality, not Cheap Services

   

  Try as much as possible to search for quality instead of searching for cheap services. If you are always looking for who will give you a ridiculously small quote, then you stand at the best position to be scammed. Make sure you plan for your move well enough and save up for it so that you can choose between the best offers from professional and reputable companies.

   

  In conclusion

  You have to make follow these guidelines to help yourself. These are the tips that will help you avoid scams in possible ways. The best things in life come with proper planning. Even if you are a newbie, or have little experience, you can still fall victim to a scam, so take your time and study this guide to help you.

   

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