How to Not Get Scammed by Movers

The cheapest moving scam to deal with is the one you avoid before booking. Almost every hostage-load and surprise-bill story traces back to signals that were visible in the quote and the sales call. This page is the plain version of what tends to protect a move — the federal and FTC consumer guidance, translated. It is general information, not legal advice. (For the warning signs of a specific quote, the companion page is moving scam red flags; cross-country moves draw the most aggressive versions, covered in long-distance moving scams; and how common all this is, in the federal data, is in how common is moving fraud.)

Verifying the company is the highest-value step

The single most useful check is confirming the company is real and authorized. Every legitimate interstate mover has a USDOT number, and brokers have an MC number; FMCSA’s free SAFER system shows a company’s registration, operating authority, and insurance.^[3] A company that won’t give its number, or whose number doesn’t match the name on the paperwork, is the clearest early signal of a problem.^[2]

Real estimates come from looking at your stuff

A reputable interstate mover wants to see what it is moving — in person or by video survey — before quoting. The FTC’s guidance specifically warns about a binding price quoted sight unseen and about a quote that is dramatically lower than the others.^[1] Comparing a few written estimates is what makes a lowball stand out as a flag rather than a deal.

A written, binding estimate is the document everything rests on

A price you can hold the mover to is a written estimate marked binding. It is also the document the federal release rule is measured against, which is why a refusal to put the estimate in writing is its own warning sign. The difference between estimate types is in binding vs. non-binding.

The big cash deposit is the recurring tell

The FTC and FMCSA both flag a large up-front deposit — especially by cash, wire, or a payment app — as a hallmark of moving fraud.^[1] A credit card keeps dispute rights in play; cash and wire generally do not. The deposit angle has its own page: moving deposit scams.

Knowing whether you booked a broker or a carrier

Many companies advertising online are brokers that hand the job to a carrier you never chose. That is legal, but not knowing it is where many problems start — covered in brokers vs. carriers, and the broker-specific federal rules (and how they get broken) are in moving broker scams.

If a move goes wrong despite the precautions, movers scammed me — what to do lays out the ordered path.

Last reviewed: June 10, 2026