When you ask your friends about their recent moving experiences, you’re more likely to hear red flags than a glowing report. It’s the nature of the moving business. Inexperienced or unscrupulous folks make our industry look like a bunch of bumbling fools.
They’ll book your move with a general quote, sight unseen, then show up late and charge double the estimate. And, if they’re especially shady, they’ll hold your stuff hostage until you pay up!
Choosing who to trust your household with shouldn’t be a headache. You should be able to take movers at face value. Can they do what they say for the price they quote? Easy.
In most cases, unfortunately, the answer is a hard no.
Let’s cut through the bullshit. We’re biased. We’ve been moving homes and businesses since 1992. We love what we do, and yeah, we think Little Guys is the best option.
It’s about protecting you.
Experienced Movers Know the Red Flags
Over the last 30+ years, we’ve completed more than 250,000 moves. We’ve worked long enough in this industry to see the worst of it. And in most cases, we see it because we get called in to clean up the mess.
The scammers who take deposits and disappear, the fly-by-night operators who treat your grandmother’s china cabinet like it’s a cinder block, and the companies that hold your belongings hostage until you pay three times the original quote.
We’ve also seen good people get absolutely devastated by bad movers. People who trusted the wrong company with irreplaceable family heirlooms. Families who couldn’t afford to pay surprise bills on moving day. Customers who spent weeks trying to track down a company that simply vanished after taking their money.
That’s why we created this guide. Whether you hire Little Guys Movers or you don’t, we want you to know exactly what to look for and what to avoid. We want you protected. Because moving is stressful enough without adding fraud and heartbreak on top of it.
Here are the 15 red flags you absolutely cannot ignore.
Just want the list? Download your copy here!
Red Flag #1: No Physical Address
Movers typically function as either brokers or carriers. Brokers are much more likely to operate remotely without a physical address. They tout multi-location coverage but are really just selling your booked jobs to the lowest bidder.
Worse, if things go sideways, and they almost certainly will, they pass the buck to the local crew.
Local carriers book their own jobs, use their own trucks, and employ their own crews. They have a location, or at least an office, that you can see on a map.
What it looks like:
- PO Box only
- “Serving the Greater Metro Area,” but no office location
- Virtual office only, no warehouse or storefront
- Can’t visit their location, or they make excuses
Why it matters:
- No accountability when things go wrong
- Likely a broker taking your money, then subcontracting to unknown movers
- If your belongings are damaged or lost, there’s no one to find and hold responsible
- High risk of fraud and disappearance
What to do:
- Google their address and verify it exists
- Visit their office in person if possible
- Look for a physical warehouse where trucks are stored
- Check Google Maps reviews of their location (this tells you if it’s a real operation)
- If they won’t let you visit, that’s your answer—move on
Red Flag #2: No USDOT Number (For Interstate Moves)
Interstate movers must register with the US Department of Transportation and follow basic guidelines. If your mover doesn’t have a USDOT Number, they aren’t licensed for interstate commerce and likely won’t follow the rules.
Also, the FMCSA.gov list lets you verify the number and see whether there are existing complaints against the mover. For out-of-state moves, this protects both you and the mover if something goes wrong.
What it looks like:
- They avoid the question when you ask
- “We’re getting that soon” or “We’re in the process”
- Provide a number that doesn’t verify on FMCSA.gov
- Tell you it’s “not required” for your move
Why it matters:
- It’s illegal to operate interstate without a USDOT number
- No federal oversight means no recourse if they damage your stuff
- Your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover losses caused by illegal movers
- They’re betting you won’t check (and most people don’t)
What to do:
- Look it up yourself at FMCSA.gov; it takes 30 seconds
- Search their company name in the “Motor Carrier Search”
- Verify the number matches what they gave you
- Check their safety rating (if it’s below 3 stars, be very cautious)
- No USDOT = Do not hire, period
Red Flag #3: “Guaranteed” Price Without Seeing Anything
No matter what pricing structure your mover uses, a guaranteed price requires an in-depth look at your home. At the very least, they should ask for photos, videos, or a virtual walkthrough. Complex moves may require an on-site estimate to create a solid quote.
What it looks like:
- Phone quote based on “how many bedrooms.”
- Email estimate without a walkthrough (virtual or on-site)
- “Just tell us what you have” over the phone call
- Estimate provided within 5 minutes of initial contact
Why it matters:
- Guaranteed to change on moving day (always higher)
- Lowball trap: they quote you $1,000 to get you committed, then charge $3,500
- You can’t dispute it because “they didn’t know what they were moving.”
- Often leads to “storage hold” situations where they refuse to deliver until you pay more
What to do:
- Insist on an in-home walkthrough (physical or detailed video)
- Ask them to write down specifics: furniture dimensions, number of boxes, fragile items, stairs, elevator access
- Get the estimate in writing with specific items listed
- Binding estimates are non-negotiable
Red Flag #4: Huge Deposit Required (50%+)
A deposit for services is common practice. It holds your spot on the calendar and shows good faith that you plan to complete the service with that provider. Over 25%, though, and there’s a likelihood that the mover might bail on you before move day and keep the money.
For bad actors in the moving industry, 50% of a move they didn’t plan on completing is still more than nothing.
What it looks like:
- “We need half up front.”
- Cash or wire transfer only
- Pressure to pay immediately
Why it matters:
- Industry standard: 0-20% deposit
- Scammers take the deposit and disappear
- Once you’ve wired money, it’s nearly impossible to get it back
What to do:
- Never pay more than 25% upfront
- Never wire money—ever
- Use a credit card if possible (it gives you dispute protection)
- Get a written contract stating what the deposit covers
- Large deposits should be non-refundable only if they provide insurance coverage for that amount
Red Flag #5: Too-Good-To-Be-True Pricing
For folks who don’t spend any time on the phone, calling around for pricing on a move feels unnatural. We’re conditioned to expect an online shopping experience, and many movers have tailored their user experience around that.
They’re counting on you to spend enough time in their process that investing time in others feels unnecessary. A quote that’s too good to be true probably is just to get you committed. After they show up, they’ll demand more before completing your move.
What it looks like:
- Price is half what everyone else quoted
- “Special deal just for you”
- “This price expires today” (artificial urgency)
- Significantly lower than average market rate for your move
Why it matters:
- Bait and switch is their entire game plan
- You’ll pay way more on moving day when they claim “unexpected circumstances”
- Often tied to hostage situations where they refuse to unload until you pay extra
- Lowball quotes are used to strand you with the company’s decision already made
What to do:
- Get multiple quotes (at least 3-5)
- Compare detailed estimates, not just the bottom number
- Be suspicious of outliers on either end (too low or too high)
- Ask how they can offer such a low price (listen to their answer—it might reveal something)
- Trust your gut: quality costs money
Ready to Move? We've Got You Covered.
Whether you're ready to book or just have questions, we're here to help.
Red Flag #6: No Written Estimate
A quote over the phone is fine, as long as there’s a follow-up email or invoice with the exact price spelled out. But when the quote doesn’t include a written estimate with an explanation of costs, disputes become hard to resolve. Without a paper trail, you’re at the mercy of your service provider.
What it looks like:
- “We’ll just call you with the price”
- Estimate only provided verbally
- No itemized breakdown
- Quote sent via text message only
Why it matters:
- Without something in writing, you have zero protection
- They can claim they never quoted you that price
- No itemization means no accountability
- Disputes become he-said, she-said situations
What to do:
- Refuse to book without a written estimate
- Require an itemized breakdown (labor, equipment, insurance, etc.)
- Make sure the estimate includes an expiration date
- Ask if the estimate is binding
Red Flag #7: High-Pressure Sales Tactics
You’re booking a move, not buying a used car, and you shouldn’t be pressured. Ideally, you book your move with someone who understands that they’re providing a service. Without a customer, they’re just sitting by the phone.
High-pressure tactics trade on the fear that you’re missing out on a great deal. Take your time, call around, and leave high-pressure deals where they belong: on the table.
What it looks like:
- “We can only hold this price for 24 hours”
- Multiple calls/texts pushing you to decide
- Aggressive urgency about booking immediately
- Guilt-tripping (“We’ve spent time on your quote…”)
- Making you feel bad for getting other quotes
Why it matters:
- Legitimate companies don’t need pressure tactics
- High pressure is designed to bypass your critical thinking
- They’re banking on you making a rushed decision you’ll regret
- This is classic scam behavior—create urgency so you don’t check references or think clearly
What to do:
- Take your time deciding (at least a few days)
- Good companies will stand by their quote
- Get everything in writing before you commit
- If a company is pushing hard, that’s your sign to walk away
- Trust companies that are calm and confident in their service
Red Flag #8: Won’t Provide Insurance Details
Insurance is part of the cost of doing business as a mover. Even the most careful guys will have an off day, and insurance protects the carrier and the client. $ 4,000 television damaged in your move? Insurance makes sure you get the full value, and the carrier isn’t out the full amount.
Released value covers a set amount per pound of your stuff, regardless of the true value. Full value protection (FVP) costs more, but it means you’ll be fully protected should something happen during your move.
What it looks like:
- Vague answers about insurance coverage
- “Don’t worry, we’re insured”
- Won’t provide proof of insurance
- Can’t explain the difference between released and actual value coverage
- Won’t discuss what happens if something breaks
Why it matters:
- Actual value (full coverage) is expensive, so many companies only carry released value ($0.50 per pound, basically nothing)
- If they’re cagey about it, they’re hiding something
- You need to know exactly what’s covered and what’s not before moving day
- Without proper insurance, your $8,000 couch can be declared “worth” $40 if it breaks
What to do:
- Ask directly: “Do you carry actual value or released value insurance?”
- Request proof of insurance in writing (not just verbal confirmation)
- Ask about options for supplemental coverage if needed
- Get insurance details included in your written contract
Red Flag #9: Defensive About Questions
Booking a mover should be seamless and frictionless. Questions are part of the job. And, since most people don’t use movers more than a few times in their lives, they are expected. If you get pushback during the booking process, move on. This is likely part of the company culture and will extend to the movers who show up on the day of your move.
What it looks like:
- Gets irritated when you ask about processes
- Won’t answer specific questions (“Just trust us”)
- Short, dismissive responses
- Makes you feel stupid for asking
- Refuses to put things in writing
Why it matters:
- Legitimate companies welcome detailed questions; it shows you care about the service
- Defensiveness signals they have something to hide
- They’re used to customers not asking questions (which is why they get away with bad practices)
- This personality type is also more likely to be aggressive on moving day
What to do:
- You should feel comfortable asking anything
- Take the defensive response as a red flag and move on
- Find a company that’s happy to answer questions and provide documentation
- If they treat you poorly before the move, they’ll be worse during it
Red Flag #10: Only 5-Star Reviews (All Recent)
A newer moving company with lots of 5-star reviews should give you pause. Vague praise, no named movers, and no public reviews are a sign that things aren’t what they seem. Check verified sites like Google, Yelp, or the Better Business Bureau to see the real story.
What it looks like:
- Every review is 5 stars, no 4-star or lower
- All reviews are from the last 30 days
- Reviews are vague (“Great service!”)
- No reviews on Google, Yelp, or BBB, only their website
- Fake-sounding review text (“The movers were professional and arrived on time!” repeated verbatim)
Why it matters:
- Real companies have hundreds of reviews with natural variation
- Fake reviews are a classic scam indicator
- Recent-only reviews suggest they’re a new operation (or hiding old complaints)
- No reviews on third-party sites means they don’t want public accountability
- Statistically, any company moving 100+ homes per year should have negative reviews—no one’s perfect
What to do:
- Check Google, Yelp, BBB, and Trustpilot (not their website)
- Look for reviews with detail and specificity
- Be wary of operations with fewer than 50 reviews total
Red Flag #11: Different Crew Than Expected
When you get your final quote or binding estimate, and you book your job, you’ll typically get information about who’s scheduled for your move. At the very least, you should see the crew leader’s name and contact information so they can reach out with questions and communicate timelines directly.
Barring extenuating circumstances, you should be concerned about sudden changes in the crew doing your move.
What it looks like:
- No one from your original quote shows up
- Different movers arrive than you were promised
- “Your crew had another job” (excuse on moving day)
- Significantly fewer people than quoted
Why it matters:
- The crew you’re quoted matters; experience and reliability vary
- A bait-and-switch crew is often less careful with your belongings
- You lose all leverage once they’re loading your stuff
- Rushing with a smaller crew leads to damage and corner-cutting
What to do:
- Get the crew supervisor’s name and contact info in writing before moving day
- Call the day before to confirm crew composition and arrival time
- If a different crew shows up, you have the right to delay or cancel (though this is messy)
- Document crew names and IDs on moving day
- Take photos of the crew and trucks (for insurance purposes if needed)
Red Flag #12: Rental Truck (No Company Branding)
Established moving companies are proud of their brand, and they put it on everything. The truck, the uniforms, the hats…you can’t miss it. Trucks break down, it’s true, and a rental might show up with your crew. However, if none of what you expect to see shows up, that’s something to be concerned about.
If your mover doesn’t tell you about a change beforehand, it’s okay to be suspicious.
What it looks like:
- Generic U-Haul or Home Depot truck
- No company logo or name on the vehicle
- Driver isn’t wearing a company uniform
- Multiple companies using the same truck
Why it matters:
- Branded trucks mean accountability; the company is staking its reputation
- Rental trucks signal they might be independent contractors, not employees
- Limited insurance coverage and liability if something goes wrong
- Harder to track down the company if something is damaged or stolen
- Suggests they’re not established enough for their own equipment
What to do:
- Ask before booking: “Do you use your own branded trucks?”
- On moving day, photograph the truck’s license plate and any identifying information
- Verify it matches the company name you hired
- Don’t load if it’s not their truck, as this is a major red flag
- Ask for the truck number and driver ID before loading begins
Red Flag #13: Demand for Cash Payment
If a mover won’t accept anything other than cash for your move, there’s something else going on. Cards and checks give you recourse if you discover damage after unloading or if anything else goes wrong.
Make sure you have a detailed invoice and a detailed receipt before your mover drives away.
What it looks like:
- “We only take cash on moving day”
- Refusing credit cards or checks
- Asking for payment before items are fully unloaded
- No written receipt or documentation
Why it matters:
- Cash payments leave zero paper trail
- You have no dispute protection if something’s wrong
- Once cash is paid, you have no leverage if they refuse to unload
- Cash-only is the hallmark of operations avoiding taxes and accountability
- No receipt means no proof of what you paid for
What to do:
- Get everything in writing before moving day about payment terms
- Refuse to pay cash without a receipt, period
- Use a credit card for final payment (gives you dispute protection)
- Don’t pay anything until all items are unloaded and inspected
- Get a detailed receipt showing what was paid and for what services
- Never hand over payment to a crew member—insist on a manager and receipt
Red Flag #14: Price Changes Dramatically On Moving Day
Before the crew loads a single box or piece of furniture, the crew leader should do a walkthrough. They’ll highlight anything that wasn’t on the original quote and make adjustments if you want them to move additional items. Once the move begins, there should be no changes to the price of your job.
Dramatic price changes, especially after your items are loaded, put you in a tough spot. The movers already have your stuff, and you are at their mercy.
What it looks like:
- “We underestimated the volume”
- “That’ll be extra”
- “The distance is further than we thought” (for local moves)
- Sudden “labor surcharges” or “equipment fees”
- Price is now 2-3x the original quote
Why it matters:
- This is the most common moving scam
- They’ve already loaded your stuff, and you have zero negotiating power
- If you refuse to pay more, they can refuse to unload (holding your belongings hostage)
- Legitimate companies build contingency into estimates to avoid this
- Once you’re committed, they exploit your desperation
What to do:
- Get a binding estimate before moving day (not just an estimate)
- Have the estimate in writing and signed by both parties
- If they try to increase the price, reference the written contract
- Don’t pay anything beyond the quoted price without a written amendment to the contract
Red Flag #15: Rushing You to Sign
When your move is completed, signing indicates that you accept things as-is. Any damages or missing items become your responsibility, not the carrier’s. If the mover gives you the ick, don’t sign until everything is unloaded and you’ve walked through to verify the status.
Note damages, take pictures and videos, and document anything out of the ordinary to protect yourself in the event of a dispute.
What it looks like:
- “We need to start unloading, so just sign here”
- Pressuring you to sign before everything is unloaded
- Won’t let you review the contract before signing
- “Just sign, we’ll email you a copy later”
Why it matters:
- Once you sign, you’ve waived most damage claims
- They’re intentionally preventing you from documenting damage during unloading
- Rushing prevents you from doing a final walkthrough before payment
- If something’s broken or missing, your signature indicates you accepted it as-is
What to do:
- Don’t sign anything until:
- All items are unloaded
- You’ve done a visual inspection of everything
- You’ve verified nothing is missing or damaged
- You’ve counted major items against your inventory list
- Take photos/video of items as they’re unloaded
- Note any visible damage on the moving company’s documentation before you sign
- Keep a copy of everything you sign
- If they won’t wait, tell them you won’t sign. That’s your right
- Have the driver sign off that all items were delivered, then you sign
What GOOD Movers Look Like
It’s easy to point out all of the things movers shouldn’t do, but what about green flags? Not every reputable mover will have all of these, especially with new locations or new businesses. However, they will have most of them and be able to explain why they don’t have something you’d expect.
Good movers have all of these:
- Physical office you can visit (and can verify exists on Google Maps)
- USDOT number provided upfront for interstate moves (verifiable on FMCSA.gov)
- In-home estimate or detailed virtual walkthrough before quoting
- Binding estimate in writing with itemized breakdown
- Transparent insurance details (actual value coverage, not just released value)
- Answers questions thoroughly and patiently (no defensiveness)
- 4.5+ stars across hundreds of reviews on Google, Yelp, BBB
- Branded trucks with the company name and logo
- Been in business 10+ years (shows stability)
- Deep community roots (local ownership, long-term reputation)
- Reasonable deposit (20% or less upfront)
- No high-pressure tactics (confident in their service)
- Allows time for inspection before you sign anything
The Little Guys Movers Difference
Since our first move back in 1992, Little Guys Movers’ focus on providing exceptional customer service hasn’t changed. Every crew member goes through our rigorous training program, including ongoing leadership training. This focus on continuous improvement means that our guys are constantly learning new ways to make our moves the best they can be.
Sure, the unexpected happens. Things go sideways, but how we deal with adversity makes all the difference. We choose to focus on reducing stress during a move.
FAQ
How do I know if a moving company is legitimate?
To verify a moving company is legitimate, check their USDOT and MC license numbers in the FMCSA Mover Database and confirm they have a real physical address. They should have plenty of reviews, and they shouldn’t all be 5 stars. A little research on your end can save you thousands of dollars and a headache!
What percent deposit is normal for movers?
A normal deposit for a moving company is between 10% and 20% of the estimated total cost of the move. Local moves are often booked with no deposit, while long-distance moves are more likely to require one to hold your place on the calendar.
Can a moving company legally hold my belongings?
The answer you didn’t want to hear is that yes, a mover can legally hold your belongings. However, rules protect everyone involved. If you get a binding estimate, you’re required by law to pay 100% at the end of the job. If you have a non-binding estimate, that’s capped at 110%. Bad actors might demand more cash than agreed upon or withhold your stuff even after you pay in full.
What can I do if a mover holds my belongings ransom?
Verify what you legally owe and make sure you’re in the right. Document every communication and all paperwork. Report to local law enforcement or federal regulators if it’s an interstate move. Once the issue is resolved, report the carrier to groups like the Better Business Bureau and the state Attorney General’s office.
Ready to Move? We've Got You Covered.
Whether you're ready to book or just have questions, we're here to help.