Hiring a Mover5 min read
Moving Scams: 12 Red Flags Before You Book
Most moving scams follow the same script. Regulators have published it, which means you can recognize it before you hand over a deposit.
By Fast Easy Moving Editors · Updated
Red flags from FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration lists these warning signs:
- An estimate given by phone or online with no survey of your belongings.
- No written estimate, or a price set only after your things are loaded.
- A demand for cash or a large deposit before the move.
- A request to sign blank or incomplete documents.
- No copy of the required consumer booklets.
- A website with no local address, registration or insurance information.
- A claim that "all goods are insured."
- Phones answered with a generic "movers" rather than a company name.
- A rental truck instead of a company-owned truck on moving day.
- A claim on moving day that you have far more goods than estimated.
What California regulators add
BHGS has highlighted these complaints in its enforcement work:
- A low estimate that gets raised in the middle of the move.
- Belongings held until you pay more than you agreed to.
- Damage claims that go unanswered.
The defense
Verify the license first, insist on an in-person or video survey, read the not-to-exceed price on your Agreement, and pay with a method you can dispute. Under California rules, once you've paid the not-to-exceed price plus signed change orders, the mover has to unload.
Keep reading
In San Diego County? See our city guides for local permits and utilities.
Sources
Last checked October 2026.