From the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas:
May is National Moving Month, which kicks off the busiest time of year for Americans changing residencies. Unfortunately, it also means unlicensed movers and dishonest scammers are waiting to take advantage of unwary consumers.
In 2012, BBB received over 1.4 million moving-related inquiries and more than 9,300 complaints against movers. Complaints included damaged or missing items, big price increases over originally-quoted estimates, late deliveries, and goods being “held hostage” for additional (disputed) payment.
“Almost anyone with a truck and a website can claim to be legitimate moving company”, said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “If you don’t take the time to make sure a company is trustworthy, however, you may end up paying thousands of extra dollars for lost or damaged items. In some cases, your items may not get delivered at all.”