There are various methods used including:
Load up and disappear – the van gets loaded up and then drives away, with all your items, never to be seen again.
Our van is too small – they start loading then notify you that their van cannot carry all your possessions, they then say that you will need to pay more to come back and get the rest. Alternatively, they load all the valuable items first, then drive off and do not return.
Extra charges – they call you up a day or two before moving day and try to charge more, as they are really busy and will call off the move if you don’t. This leaves you in a position where you either pay extra or try to find someone else, which may be difficult at short notice. Given the stress that you are likely to be experiencing at this time you may decide just to pay up.
Hostage – This is really a variation on the load up and disappear scam, except they don’t totally disappear, instead they contact you to allow you to buy your own items back. As some of your boxes are likely to contain personal items that cannot be replaced, such as family photos, they cannot sell them, so they try to blackmail you, the customer.
The best way is to do your homework before you accept a quote.
These days it is much easier to research companies before you commit, thanks to the internet. Look up their company website, this should have pictures of their vans and inform you if they are members of any associations, such as Checkatrade. If they do not have their name/logo on their vans you may want to find out why, after all it’s free advertising, but it’s easier to disappear without any. If they are members of an association you can check the associations website for any reviews. You can also check out their Terms and Conditions.
Do they have the correct insurance policies in place? The van insurance should cover the use of the van for business purposes, including removals. For your own protection they should also have Goods in Transit insurance, in case they break anything while moving it and Public Liability Insurance, in case they damage property whilst carrying out the move. A legitimate company will have these documents and be prepared to prove it.
Are they insisting that you pay cash? Most companies will be prepared for you to settle via a card or bank transfer. If they insist that you pay in full prior to starting the job then alarm bells should ring, an exception could be a comparison site.
Social Media is a great source for many items and services, but it is also a great way for scammers to find unsuspecting victims. Beware of people advertising for business that do not have a company name, if they are trying to earn a few quid on the side are they likely to be insured? Also, if anything goes wrong what are the chances of your issue(s) being resolved?
Thousands of people move house every month and the number of scams carried out is low, but why take the risk?
When the time comes to move there is always the question of what to do with your books, people tend to fall into 3 categories when it comes to books.