Consumer Advocate Legal Update : Class Action Lawyers & Attorneys : Khorrami Pollard & Abir Law Firm : Mass Torts, Products Liability

 1.       Research your potential movers.

·         Online review web sites, such as Yelp!, may be helpful, although there are two major concerns with these web sites. First, disreputable movers may try to appropriate the good reputations of other movers, so they may be difficult to tell apart or if the companies have any relation. When a disreputable mover attempts to claim that it is part of a nationwide chain—such as CHS, which claimed to be an affiliate of Stevens, Unigroup, Belkins, and United—the major moving company’s web page will likely list all of their affiliates. A quick phone call to the major moving company could also verify the claims of a small company representing itself as an affiliate. Second, the scammers may post positive reviews for themselves by passing themselves off as past customers.

·         A quick check of the Better Business Bureau’s web page, lists of known scamming moving companies, or other scam web pages may be a better indication of possible troubles that you may encounter with a moving company, although some of the reports may be from bad customers rather than for bad companies.

·         In California, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) grants licenses to moving companies and handles complaints and discipline against them. A quick search of its web page will show the license status of California moving companies. Other states may have similar licensing agencies or may have other agencies that could provide assistance, such as the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures.

·         Watch out for small companies using many DBAs. Although larger companies may use DBAs to target a specific market (ex. Orange Moving Co., Los Angeles Moving Co., etc.), excessive use of DBAs by smaller companies may

·         Companies that refuse to tell you their physical addresses or do not list their physical addresses on their web pages are also cause for concern. If you need to find a senior manager to complain to or to file a lawsuit against, an actual address will be very helpful.

2.       Make sure that the moving company doesn’t try to pull a fast one with its estimates or paperwork.

·         If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.

·         Never sign a blank contract.

·         Although paying in cash is an acceptable form of payment, don’t hire a moving company that requires cash. If you need to dispute the charges later, it is much more difficult to do so with cash than a check or credit card.

·         Get quotes from several movers in writing. These quotes must be based upon a physical inspection of what is being moved and cannot be a verbal quote by hour or by weight.

·         Make sure that the movers include a “not to exceed” price in the moving agreement before beginning any work. This will be the highest price that the movers can charge unless you request additional items or services.

·         Check out the CPUC’s FAQ, which has quick and clear answers on a variety of situations: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/hhgfaq/.

·         For interstate moves, check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Protect Your Move web site. MoveRescue, a private non-profit consumer organization funded by major moving companies United and Mayflower, can also provide information and assistance.

3.       Supervise the movers.

·         You will probably want to pack your breakables yourself and mark on the box that the contents are fragile. If the movers pack any breakables, make sure that they use enough packing material and the correct boxes (e.g. dishes should be wrapped and put in kitchen boxes).

·         For non-breakables, prevent the movers from using the more expensive boxes, such as kitchen boxes.

·         Boxes with non-breakables should be filled appropriately full (i.e. not about to burst but not only half full). Boxes with breakables will obviously be less full.

·         Watch the movers carefully when they move larger items to prevent damage to the item itself, walls, ceilings, and floors. Make sure that the movers are using enough people to move the item.

4.       Fight back against scamming movers.

·         If the scamming mover threatens to take or actually drives away with your possessions, call the police and report the mover for theft. Some police may refuse to become involved and call the theft a civil dispute. However, the movers are not legally entitled to keep your possessions until you pay. Instead, they have a lien on your possessions until you pay in full. This does not entitle them to physical possession of your possessions.

·         If you can verify a physical address for the moving company, you may have some luck in small claims court. The process is much simpler than people think it is and usually just requires a bit of time becoming familiar with the procedures and paperwork online.

·         You can also file consumer fraud claims with your county’s district attorney’s office, your state’s attorney general’s office, or other local consumer fraud agencies. Licensing agencies, such as the California Public Utilities Commission, can also take administrative action against the scamming moving company.

·         Contacting the local news or a non-profit consumer organization or blog may bring attention to your story, if the government is not taking any action or is moving slowly.

·         If the scamming company is falsely claiming to be an affiliate of a nationwide chain or is using the name of a reputable company, contacting that company about the scam may cause that company to take action against the scammers to protect the reputable company’s good name.

·         You can also file consumer fraud claims with a law firm that specializes in consumer fraud.