Avoiding a Moving Nightmare: What You Need to Know Before You Hire a Mover

Moving is stressful enough on its own—but when things go wrong, it can quickly become a nightmare. We recently heard from a customer whose experience highlights just how important it is to choose the right moving company, and the lowest price isn’t always the right answer.

Alan hired a mover to help relocate belongings from Chicago to San Diego. What started as a routine move quickly turned into a disaster:

The company turned out to be a scam. After picking up everything, they abandoned his entire shipment in a self-storage unit—without telling him where the items were. They stopped responding completely, and the only way he was able to track it down was thanks to an Air Tag placed on one of the items.

He and his wife had to fly back to Chicago to locate the storage unit, contact a lawyer, and attempt to recover his life’s worth of personal belongings. Unfortunately, stories like this aren’t as rare as you’d think.

So, what can you do to avoid a moving nightmare:

How to Avoid a Moving Scam

To help protect yourself or someone you know from this kind of situation, here are five key tips:

1. Confirm the mover’s credentials

Verify the company’s U.S. DOT number and FMCSA registration at https://www.protectyourmove.gov. Avoid companies that can’t show clear, verifiable credentials.

2. Be cautious of too-low estimates

If a quote sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Rogue movers often bait customers with low prices, then ghost or hold belongings hostage for more money.

3. Look for affiliations with national van lines

Established van lines (like United Van Lines, for example) have higher standards and oversight, offering added protection and accountability.

4. Check reviews—and ask for referrals

Don’t just rely on a few star ratings. Dig into recent reviews and ask trusted friends or colleagues who they’ve used and had a good experience with.

5. Use technology to stay safe

In this case, an Air Tag saved the day. While this shouldn’t be necessary with a reputable mover, tracking technology can be a smart extra step.

Peace of Mind Matters

In the end, this customer made the difficult decision to leave the furniture behind and ship only the essentials:

“Wanted to let you know we were finally able to get access to our things, and we decided to just ship the boxes with FedEx and donate the furniture. We won’t be needing moving services for now, but I’ll be sure to reach out to you guys—and you guys only—if I ever move again.” — Alan S., San Diego, CA

At CMS Companies, we’re often the second call people make—after things go wrong. Let us be your first call instead. We’re here to help every step of the way, and we’ll never leave you guessing. Contact us today to get a quote!