Relocation Services – Make Sure They Are Not CopyCats
Copycat relocation services are proliferating across the country, so before you start dealing with any of them, make sure they are the real companies. Check that the web sites you are surfing are the ones run by the real companies.
In California, a moving company called Bekins Moving & Storage is being investigated by the California Public Utility Commission for alleged extortions. A rising number of customers have been complaining that the firm has been holding furniture and households goods to extort money from customers.
According to investigators, Bekins Moving has been riding on the coattails of Bekins Van Lines, a pioneer mover based in Chicago and among the most reputable moving companies in the U.S. based on customer surveys and on moving industry association awards.
Copycat Bekins Moving has also run under different names, including BET Transportation, BGT Transportation and BMS Moving & Storage.
The phone number used by Bekins Moving is also used by another copycat company called Stevens Moving & Storage, which is also obviously riding on the reputation of another recognized and established moving company Stevens, which is based in Michigan.
Based on initial investigation results, Stevens Moving has been using other company names, giving the impression that they are different relocation services. These names include Stevens Relocation, CHS Transportation, We Are Moving Relocations, Express Moving, We Are Moving and Storage and Better Way to Move Moving and Storage.
Observers also noticed that the copycat sites, namely bekinsmove.com and stevensmove.com, display videos produced by a company called Mover One which is owned by United Van Lines Canada Limited, a competitor to Bekins Van Lines.
The copycat websites also display the association logos of the Better Business Bureau and the American Moving and Storage Association, a kind of deception increasingly used by fraudulent companies in the country.
So, if you are looking for a relocation or moving company in your state, visit the AMSA web site moving.org and verify if the company you are considering is a ProMover. Make sure that the name on the AMSA list is exactly the same as the one you are negotiating with because copycats have become extremely savvy in confusing customers with the use of company names.
The ProMover program of AMSA works with federal agencies and state governments to prevent unethical business practices and helps customers choose the best moving firm out of a large number of relocation services.
