3 Moving Scams First Time Home Buyers Should be Aware of
image by Diana for FHH.com
Good morning, you have work with your Realtor to find your perfect home. You have provided all the required documents to the loan officer and processor. You had your new home to be inspected. The appraisal was on point, title company received the closing documents from the lender on time, both you and the seller are ready to sign.
You received a referral for a moving company and set your appointment for the same day as your closing day. The closing went well. It’s now 1pm the movers should have arrived at 11 am. You called the company and no one answered. They have your stuff. You begin to get a bit nervous. By 4 pm, you are in full blown panic mode. You finally received a call that the amount they agreed to, is now triple. They have your stuff. To get your stuff back, you will need to pay the new price. You have been scammed.
Moving scams peaked during the pandemic and dip significantly in 2022, but is increasing in numbers again. To help protect consumers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have launched Protect Your Move, a nationwide crackdown on moving scams with the ability to revoke the licenses of movers and brokers.
While moving scams are least common here in Texas, with only one scam in every 41,104 moves, keeping yourself informed can help to prevent you from being victimized. If you are planning a move, visit ProtectYourMove.gov which is a division of Protect Your Move, for more information. You can also log on and check the registered mover database just to ensure you are hiring a legitimate moving company.
While there are others, here are 3 moving scams you should be aware of so you, your family, or friends do not become victims.
Change of Address - Consumers who recently moved are tricked into paying a fee for changing their address, by way of a fake website disguised as the United States Postal Service.
Hostage load - is when a fake moving company posing as a real moving company, load up your possessions, then hold onto them until a ransom is paid.
No show - a moving company take your deposit or upfront fee than never shows up and can no longer be reached.
As a first time home buyer, you already have a lot going on. In addition, moving by itself is already a very stressful process, without having to worry about being scammed.
If it matters to you, it matters to us. We at First Home Houston is always looking out for your best interest. As always, we thank you for stopping by. Until next time… Diana.
