How to Avoid the Most Common International Moving Scams
Relocating internationally from Westchester, NY can take weeks to finish, maybe even months. While there is an upside to this, namely the excitement of adventure and moving to a different part of the world, there is a downside. As with many other types of businesses, the international moving industry is not immune to fraudulent activities and a multitude of scam artists.
Because of the length of time involved in relocating overseas, it makes it easier for these scam artists to take advantage of families and individuals who are relocating to another part of the world. Furthermore, it’s easy to lose track of the international movers Westchester, NY and the status of your belongings when they are in route. This could be especially true if you are separated by a massive body of water such as the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean.
The Three Most Common Scams
BLUEmove International wants to ensure that you are never duped by such criminal activities if you are currently contemplating an international relocation. Arm yourself with a little bit of awareness and some knowledge. You can easily avoid these rogue international moving scams and save yourself a lot of grief in the long run:
The “How-Much-is-Your-Budget-for-Moving” Scam – You are talking with a moving company representative and he or she inquires as to how big your moving budget is and an idea of the amount of household items that you are shipping. Then they quote you a price that fits within your budget. Unfortunately, when the movers arrive they tell you that you have more household items than what you told them over the phone.
So they jack up the price and you’re stuck because you need to be in your new destination by a specific date. The bottom line: never hire any international movers in Westchester, NY or the surrounding area that gives you a telephone estimate, and never tell any company what your budget is.
The Low-Ball Price Quote Scam – Based on the number of victims that have fallen for this scam, you could say it is the most common one of the bunch. When you are getting company quotes from international movers in Westchester, NY, you might decide to go with the lowest one. In many cases, that lowest price you were promised skyrockets due to hidden fees that were never stated in the contract or quote. The best way to avoid this scam is to shy away from quotes that seem too cheap compared to the others you’ve received.
The Shady Broker Scam – You may decide to hire a broker to handle all the work for you and connect you with an international moving company. They appear to be honest and look professional enough because they have a fairly well-designed website. Then they promise to give you the lowest quote of all the international movers in Westchester, NY, and those of the surrounding region, provided you pay a deposit or a fee. Once you have paid that deposit, one of the following is usually the outcome:
- No movers show up to pick up your household items on the scheduled date.
- The broker disappears and you never from him or her again.
- Your household items never arrive at your new destination.
So how do you avoid this scam? If a broker asks you for a deposit or a fee up front, that should be a red flag and you should stop communicating with them immediately.
Why Choose BLUEmove International?
We want to be your company of international movers in Westchester, NY, and assist you with your relocation endeavor. However, we also understand that you are entrusting your household items and other personal possessions with us. As a full-service international moving and move management company, we have built our reputation on many years of experience providing corporate, diplomatic, and private moving solutions.
We not only understand every international moving scenario, we realize how stressful of an experience this can be. As your international relocation partner, we will take care of all the details so you don’t have to. For additional information regarding our corporate, diplomatic, or private international moving solutions, contact BLUEmove International, Inc. today. Remember, we are small enough to care about each family’s move, but large enough to service your needs worldwide.