How to Hire a Reliable Mover: 7 Red Flags Before You Sign

Every horror moving story I've ever heard starts the same way: "the quote was so much lower than everyone else's." Then it ends with a truck full of furniture being held hostage in another state until the customer wires another $4,200. The moving industry has a scam subgenre big enough that the FBI has a dedicated reporting form for it.

You can avoid almost all of it with seven checks. Here they are.

Red flag #1: They quote without seeing your stuff

A good local mover sends someone, or at least asks for a video walk- through. A good long-distance mover requires either an in-person survey or a full inventory video. A mover who quotes you a flat number from a 3-line text describing "small 2-bedroom, normal stuff" is either guessing badly or planning to hike the price on moving day when you're stuck.

Red flag #2: The deposit is huge

Local moves: usually no deposit, or $50–$200 to hold the date. Long-distance moves: 10–25% deposit is standard. If anyone wants 50% before the truck shows up, walk. The legitimate industry has settled on small deposits because of how often this category gets ripped off.

Red flag #3: No DOT number, or a DOT number that doesn't check out

Every interstate mover in the US is required to register with the FMCSA and have a USDOT number. You can look it up free at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. The lookup tells you their actual operating name, complaints filed, insurance status, and whether they're authorized to do household goods. If they don't show up, they're not legit.

Local-only movers (intrastate) are governed by your state's PUC equivalent. Easy to verify in 30 seconds.

Red flag #4: They operate under three different names

Scammy moving outfits dissolve and re-incorporate constantly to dodge BBB complaints. If you Google the company and find them listed under half a dozen DBAs at the same address, that's intentional. Search the phone number too — same number across three "different" companies is a giant tell.

Red flag #5: The contract has no binding price

You want one of three contract types:

• Binding estimate: The price is the price, period. Best for predictable moves.
• Binding-not-to-exceed: They charge less if it goes faster, but never more. The best option if you can get it.
• Non-binding estimate: The price is "approximately" X. Avoid this. Yes, FMCSA caps the overage at 110% of the estimate, but enforcement is slow and your stuff is on their truck right now.

Red flag #6: Reviews are suspiciously perfect or suspiciously bot-like

Read the 2-star and 3-star reviews, not the 5-star ones. The middle-of-the-road reviews are usually the most honest. Look for patterns: "showed up late," "added charges on the day," "broke things and ghosted me." A few of these are normal. A dozen of them in the last six months is a deal-breaker.

Also: be suspicious of any company with hundreds of reviews on Google but no presence on Yelp, the BBB, or the FMCSA complaints list. The reviews are likely bought.

Red flag #7: They show up with a truck that doesn't match

On moving day, the truck should be branded with the company you hired (or clearly labeled as their authorized rental). If a generic Penske rolls up and the crew can't tell you who they actually work for, that's a broker who sold your job to a third party. You now have no one to call when something gets damaged.

What you should pay (2026)

Real ballparks, US:

• Local studio (under 750 sq ft, <30 mi): $400–$900
• Local 2-bed apartment: $700–$1,500
• Local 3-bed house: $1,200–$3,000
• Long-distance 2-bed (1,000 mi): $3,500–$6,500
• Long-distance 3-bed (1,000 mi): $5,500–$10,000
• Cross-country 4-bed: $9,000–$18,000+

Add 10–25% for stairs (per flight), bulky items (pianos, safes, treadmills), peak season (May–August), and any month-end moving day.

The questions to ask on the phone

1. "What's your USDOT number? I'll look it up while we talk."
2. "Is the quote binding-not-to-exceed?"
3. "Do you subcontract any part of this move?"
4. "What's your claim process if something gets damaged?"
5. "How do you bill — flat rate, hourly, or weight-based?"
6. "What's the deposit, and is it refundable if I cancel 7 days out?"

Anyone good answers all six without dodging. Anyone shady will try to get you off the phone and into a written quote that buries the bad parts.

When you're ready to compare, browse local movers on MyHelpZone — every profile shows reviews, service area, and which company is actually doing the work, so no one's hiding behind a broker.