Cord Moving and Storage, U.S. Transportation Secretary and Texas Officials Stress Vigilance
The American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) joined other public- and private-sector organizations today at a Houston news conference to help educate consumers about the simple steps they can take to avoid moving fraud, as National Moving Month began.
“This time of year, con artists posing as legitimate movers come out of the woodwork,” said Linda Bauer Darr, president and CEO of AMSA, the industry’s national trade group. “Unfortunately, busy consumers too often don’t take the time to find out from the start who they’re really dealing with.” AMSA data show the late spring and summer make up the peak season for household moving, with demand heaviest in June and July. Darr urged anyone shopping for a full-service interstate mover to first look for the ProMover logo, which assures consumers that the company has been pre-screened for them by AMSA; or, for a local or intrastate move, to check with state moving associations or appropriate state regulatory agencies in states without associations.
AMSA helped kick off National Moving Month at a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary Ray LaHood, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Anne Ferro, and representatives of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, the Southwest Movers Association (SMA) and the South Texas Better Business Bureau. SMA administers a state-level certification for its members, the Pinnacle program, which is similar to the state ProMover programs AMSA has established so far in California, Michigan and Florida, with other states to be added as ProMover expands.
AMSA also works closely with the national Council of Better Business Bureaus to educate consumers about the risks of hiring an unlicensed “movers,” who often hide behind slick-looking websites and tout “bargain” low-ball pricing. Among AMSA’s other key consumer advice is to get estimates from several different movers, and to use companies that send a representative to the home to provide the estimate in writing. To learn more about the ProMover program and take advantage of AMSA’s extensive consumer information, visit www.moving.org or www.cordmoving.com
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