Rogue movers prey on trust. They impersonate legitimate providers, defraud customers, and in the worst cases, hold belongings hostage. While these scams have long targeted individuals, they increasingly affect employee relocations, placing mobility managers in the difficult position of responding to disrupted onboarding, unexpected costs, and employee dissatisfaction.
With fraudulent brokers and rogue operators on the rise, being able to spot the warning signs is critical to protecting your employees and your relocation program.
Legitimate moving companies maintain an office and storage facilities, with addresses and phone numbers clearly listed online. Rogue movers often provide only an email or web form with no verifiable location.
Mobility Tip: Require employees to verify a mover’s physical address and confirm it matches official licensing records.
Professional movers conduct in-home or virtual surveys to assess weight and volume accurately. Rogue movers prefer fast phone estimates—leaving room to add fees once belongings are loaded.
Mobility Tip: Build into policy: only accept movers who provide written, itemized estimates after an in-home or virtual survey.
A reliable mover issues detailed contracts covering services, fees, timelines, valuation coverage, and dispute resolution terms. Rogue operators either avoid contracts or present “thin” documents with blank sections they later manipulate.
Mobility Tip: Review contracts as part of your approval process. Protect employees by ensuring all terms are clear and complete.
If the cost looks too good to be true, it probably is. Rogue movers lure employees with bargain prices, then increase fees drastically—or worse, refuse to deliver shipments until extra charges are paid.
Mobility Tip: Guide employees to compare multiple estimates, evaluating service quality and reputation—not just price.
Reputable movers may request a small deposit (5–10%) applied to the final invoice—but never full cash payment up front. Rogue movers demand large deposits and often disappear once paid.
Mobility Tip: Prohibit cash-only terms or large deposits in your relocation policy.
Every interstate mover must register with the U.S. DOT and have an MC number. Reputable movers share these credentials openly. Rogue movers often cannot or will not produce them.
Mobility Tip: Require verification of DOT and MC numbers against the FMCSA database before approving providers.
Established movers have a clear digital footprint that includes reviews, BBB accreditation, and consistent branding across websites, trucks, and documents. Rogue movers often change names frequently, use rental trucks, or display mismatched logos.
Mobility Tip: Incorporate online reputation checks into your relocation partner vetting process.
Why This Matters for Mobility Managers
Rogue movers don’t just put employees’ belongings at risk, they jeopardize:
A single fraudulent move can also lead to unexpected costs such as emergency housing or replacement of lost goods.
Choosing a Trusted Partner
For over 95 years, Allied Van Lines has been trusted by corporations, the U.S. Military, and families worldwide. We protect employees and programs through:
Protect Your Employees. Protect Your Program.
As a mobility leader, your employees count on you to guide them toward safe, secure relocation partners. By steering them away from rogue operators and toward trusted providers like Allied, you safeguard both their well-being and your program’s success.
Connect with Allied Van Lines to learn how we help corporate mobility programs move with confidence.
