Car shipping scams occur when criminals pose as an auto transport business to steal cars or steal money. They will contact an individual who needs their vehicle delivered and enter into a fictitious arrangement with them. When they contact you to offer you a fake estimate, they may also use a legitimate company name and address to make it seem like they are affiliated with that business.
The goal of these scams, which come in many forms, is always to steal your money or your car. Knowing what a typical auto shipping company would behave like will usually help you spot these scams. You can spot a scam by looking for the difference between the actions of a con artist and an authorized transportation provider.
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Tips for Avoiding Car Shipment Scams
Following tips and guide will help you learn how to quickly identify the scam situation to prevent on time. Each of these has a specific statement that identifies it as a car shipping scams. Just be aware of what to look for.
Car Shipping Scam Prevention Tip #1: Be Aware of the Service Provider’s Expectations
There are direct carriers, brokers, and lead resellers in the auto transportation sector.
Those who handle the actual shipping of cars for relocation are direct carriers. They hire drivers and loaders and own vehicles. When direct carriers handle your entire project from start to finish, they are not passed on to another party. Using a direct carrier helps you only manage your liability for one business. You will definitely get faster service.
Simply put, lead resellers collect your information through an internet form and then sell it directly to shippers and vehicle shipping brokers for cash. But things don’t stop there. Your information is often sold to a business willing to pay for it. Hello, telemarketers! You will undoubtedly start receiving a lot of spam mail, SMS, and telemarketing calls.
We recommend you to choose the best auto transport services to ship your car and avoid car shipping scams.
Car Shipping Scam Prevention Tip #2: ScrutinizeAuto Shipping Reviews
Be sure to check company reviews on Google Business, Yelp, and BBB when you’re looking for auto shipping firms. Avoid businesses that only have 100% favorable reviews as well as those that only have bad reviews. Be balanced.
When reading reviews of auto shipping companies, check the company’s standing with the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Administration. Specifically, find out how many complaints there are against the business in question.
If the car shipment company has received a few complaints, don’t give up. No business is flawless, and it’s not easy to please every client. It makes sense that people would be more inclined to criticize before praising. Every reliable cross-country car shipping company will have some problems which will also help you to identify car shipping scams.
To find out if a business is currently licensed, visit the Safeguard Your Move page maintained by the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Administration (FMCSA).
Car Shipping Scam Prevention Tip #3: Avoiding too-good-to-be-true Prices
Some businesses take great pride in saying they can beat any quote, and everyone gets a good price. True, there are businesses that provide excellent discounts.
But occasionally, a quote is significantly less expensive than the best rate. You can probably find this explained in their small print, where they mention additional costs for basic services that are marketed as “upgrades” but are standard with other providers.
Make sure to read the small print and confirm (in writing) that all fees are included in the price as they may try to charge you again after delivery in some circumstances.
Try getting a quotation from the various “instant quote calculators” available on the site and then compare with the actual price received from the company. If there is a good price difference, you will be able to identify car shipment scams.
Car Shipping Scam Prevention Tip #4: Do not Pay for Damages
You can be confident that a reputable auto shipping business will take all reasonable precautions to prevent damage to your car when you engage with them. However, the business can be completely lost unless your car reaches its destination in a bad condition.
You can save money by being prepared and preventing your auto shipping company from damaging your vehicle. Here is what you should do:
- Check the auto shipping firm’s rules.
- Find out how to submit a claim to pay for repairs.
- Make sure you and your shipping business have enough insurance in case something goes wrong.
- Inspect your vehicle’s interior and exterior, record mileage, and take photos.
Conclusion
These tips and tricks can help you avoid the car shipping scams that people encounter when looking for a reliable transport company to handle their auto transport needs. Moving your car to a new location shouldn’t be a big hassle or headache with proper research about the service you want and company you look for.
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