Go with professionals
Maybe you have got more on your hands than you would like to admit, but that is no reason to go looking for paid help in unauthorized and unregulated places, like personal aid and Craigslist. If you care for your belongings surviving the process of moving to Texas undamaged, you will only hire a licensed moving company that will guarantee that all of your items will be delivered in one piece.
What seems to be the advantages of searching for movers on Craigslist?
The first advantage has to be affordability. We all know that the cheapest listings online can be found on Craigslist. There are so many people offering their services online that there is no competition to find an affordable service. The second big thing has to be convenience. There is no easier way of finding cheap help than on Craigslist. Another advantage of hiring over Craigslist is that you may be helping out students and the unemployed part of the community around you. Hiring someone on Craigslist will help them as much it will help you. With all of this said, that is why you need to be on the lookout for credible services and movers. As it is easy to find help, so it is easy to get involved in a scam or get hustled.The risk of a moving scam
If you search for movers on Craigslist, and not through a professional moving company, you are risking a moving scam that will cost you more in the long run. A moving scam can be defined as a fraudulent and unlawful transaction between a contractor and a mover. Usually, people that are offering their services over Craigslist are not professionals in that field of expertise. You need to get as much information in advance and check the forums for local opinions and online reviews of whoever is offering you moving services.
Make sure that you are working with a legitimate moving company
A legitimate moving company will have an answer to all of your questions. After all, they are the professionals in their line of work, and they know all the tips and tricks of their profession. If you feel that a company is avoiding giving you any strong and straightforward answers, go and check someone else. Even if it is a local or long-distance move, they need to have all the answers.The anonymity of Craigslist posters
The movers working over Craigslist do not need reviews, references, or any kind of website. There is no need for a background check and credentials when you are posting over Craigslist. All of this leaves little room for references or any more information which is crucial when planning a move, however big or small it may be.Movers on Craigslist do not have a USDOT number
Any mover that you find on random over Craigslist will not have a USDOT number. A legal moving company is required, by law, to have this number, and it is also referred to as the federal motor carrier number.The disadvantages of working with amateurs
Movers that you find on Craigslist may be uncertified and unreliable. You will gamble with the risk of them not coming to work or showing up late. You will also have to worry about will them damaging and scratching the furniture. Amateur movers do not offer a guarantee in contrast to their professional counterparts. They will not be bonded or insured, which means that your belongings are in the hands of somebody that does not have insurance. The main problem with Craigslist is that you do not know who you contracted until they show up at your door.Scam situations and the search for movers on Craigslist
You are more likely to be scammed if you are working with unregistered movers. Some of the scamming situations can be a hostage load situation or a no-show situation. A hostage situation is the first way that you can get scammed. This means that the workers will load all of your belongings on their truck, and then refuse to unload them if you refuse to pay them extra. You can avoid all of this by hiring a reliable moving company. Another way that you can become a scam victim when it comes to your move is through a ‘no-show’ situation. This mostly happens so that the movers require an up-front deposit and then do not show up on the day of the move. This way, you pay for a service that never happened.