There are dozens of moving scams out there, and over the course of the next few weeks, we here at MovingGuru.com will try to fill you in on the gist of all of them.
A moving scam is when a person uses, abuses or takes the property of someone during the moving process. Usually the perpetrator is in a position of power. For example, they pretend to be a landlord, or a realtor, or a moving company. Then, when they have the mover’s trust, they rip them off and disappear.
The Stolen Deposit
One of the most common moving scams is the stolen deposit. In this case, the scammer pretends to be a landlord and asks for a deposit to hold an open apartment for the mover. Then, after the mover gives the scammer cash or a check, the scammer disappears, and the mover learns that the scammer wasn’t really the landlord of the property.
How to Avoid It: The best way to avoid this scam is to meet the landlord at their office or in the apartment itself. Also, make sure you get their contact information and a reference to a current tenant.