Unfortunately, the moving industry has its share of dishonest businesses. Avoid becoming a victim by using only established, licensed, and insured moving companies like Allstar Movers to protect yourself from one of the many common scams, Allstar Movers always recommends and provides the following:
Guaranteed estimate: A common scam for moving companies is to provide an guesstimate then add on additional charges once your belongings are in their possession holding your items hostage pending payment. Allstar Movers will always provide a written confirmation that includes billing rates prior to your service date.
Hidden charges: Here is a list of common hidden charges that will shock you when you are asked to pay the bill: a fuel surcharge of up to 21% of your total bill, charges that can exceed $100 per flight of stairs or elevators, $40 to $100 for long load/unload walk distances, $65 to $130 for stretch wrap, $40 per item for moving large items like refrigerators, dressers, armoires, entertainment centers, desks, treadmills, etc. A (4) hour job that you have estimated to only cost $119.80 can end up actually costing $729.54 when all of the hidden charges are added it.
Proof of insurance: Always check to make sure a moving company can provide proof of general liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance to protect you during your move. Without general liability and worker’s comp insurance you may be personally at risk for liability that is not covered by your renter’s or homeowner’s policy. Two million dollars general liability is the coverage that you should expect a moving company to carry.
Licensed company: Many advertised moving companies are not licensed with the Arizona Corporation Commission. Consequently no governmental record of the company or the responsible company personnel exists. In the event that you, the customer, should have an issue, your recourse may be very limited.
Legitimate and Established Business Location: A increasingly common scam with craigslist and backpage advertised budget movers is abandonment and/or bait and switch. One is the practice of loading your belongings in a truck, and leaving never to be seen again. Allstar Movers is an established moving company with an office located in Phoenix, AZ. The other is common “bait and switch” involves adding additional charges (see above) at the end of the job that were not disclosed when you scheduled service. Established, reputable moving companies do not use brokers found on websites claiming to provide numerous quotes from several moving companies. Brokers are merely middlemen who provide customer leads and collect fees from the moving company. These fees increase customer costs and you may have no control of what company will provide service for you.
Branded vehicles: A sign of a fly by night or illegitimate moving company are moving vehicles with no company logos or information. A big “red flag” is a purported moving company utilizing “rental” trucks, like Budget, U-Haul, etc. All moving trucks in our fleet at Allstar Movers will be labeled clearly with our company information for your reassurance and protection.
Business History and Ratings: When trusting your belongings to a moving company it is always a good idea to check the reputation of the moving company in advance.
Important Clarification: Allstar Movers is not now nor has it ever been affiliated with Allstar Moving and Storage, Inc. aka Allways Moving and Storage, Inc. Allstar Movers owns all rights to the registered trade name “Allstar Movers.”
For any additional information or business references stop by our Glendale, AZ office or contact us by phone or via email through this website.
