Car Shipping Scams and How to Avoid Them
Protect your car during shipping! Learn the car shipping scams, & how to stay Safe from fraud, and ensure safe transport with expert tips.
Are you planning to ship your car to a new location? It's an exciting time, but it's important to be careful. With the rise of online scams and frauds, car shipment services have become a real risk. So, how can you protect yourself from falling victim to these scams? We will tell you how to avoid getting scams by fake car shipping services.
Signs of Scams in Car Shipping Services
Low Price
If you find a shipping quote that is relatively lower than the market rate, there is a possibility that this particular quote is a scam.
Transparency
Transparency in car shipping is an essential element to look at when selecting an auto transport company. A good and reliable auto transport company will provide clear and concise information about all its shipping services. These services mainly include insurance coverage factors and delivery time lines. You need to be careful of all companies that lack transparency about their shipping functions. In case you feel that a particular shipping company is hesitating to answer your questions, try to skip it and go for finding a more transparent car shipping company.
Upfront Fee
Be very careful about the auto shipping companies and carriers exerting high pressure on you to make quick shipping decisions or forcing you to pay upfront fees. Auto shipping scammers usually use different pressure tactics to make customers make fast and impulsive decisions. Remember that a reasonable and reliable company will always give you adequate time to make an informed decision about your shipping. This type of company will ask for any sort of payment only after the car shipping service has been issued.
Unusual Payment Methods
A reliable and trustworthy auto transport company will always offer common and secure payment methods, including payment via credit cards, cash, and checks. Raise a red flag for any company asking to pay through wire transfer or BitCoin.
Unprofessional Communication
Scammers may talk in a way that isn't professional, not have the right way to deal with customers, or only interact through email without a phone number or a physical presence.
How to Stay Safe from Car Shipping Scammers
Online Research
When it comes to shipping your car, thorough research is important. Investigating different car shipping companies can Avoid you from falling into the trap of Scams services by looking at consumer ratings and reviews posted online. A reputable car shipping company will have positive feedback and a strong reputation.
Start by checking:
- i)Check out the Better Business Bureau's (BBB) website to find out the selected auto shipping company’s professional rating. You will also see if any complaint(s) is lodged against that company.
- ii)Check out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) website to find out the selected auto shipping company’s licensing and safety information.
- iii)Check out the Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot websites to find out the selected auto shipping company’s customer rating. You must read out positive as well as negative reviews in order to perceive a balanced view point about the company.
Please consider the fact that not all reviews posted on these sites are genuine. You will need to apply your critical judgment during the evaluation of the customers’ feedback.
1. Registered and Licensed
As discussed before, check out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) website to find out the selected auto shipping company’s licensing and safety information. A legitimate car shipping company tries to focus on acquiring and highlighting its professional certifications and permits for conducting its operations legally.
You need to clarify the responsibility of the company and insurance coverage in case of all possible mishaps and unfortunate scenarios during the shipping process.
2. Insurance Coverage
The car transport Company will be properly insured. Insist on seeing proof of insurance, and make sure it includes any potential damage that might occur during shipping. You need to clarify about the responsibility of company and insurance coverage in case of all possible mishaps and unfortunate scenarios during the shipping process.
3. Contracts and Terms and Conditions
You should read out thoroughly the contractual details pertaining to the car shipping company with you as its potential customer. Check out every term and condition furnished within the contract. If you find any confusing content in the content, you should seek clarification from the concerned contact and customer support team before signing it.
Checklist of Ask-Able Questions from an Auto Shipping Company
Here are some important questions to consider:
- i)Are you registered and licensed?
- ii)What type of insurance coverage do you provide?
- iii)What is the estimated delivery timeline for my vehicle?
- iv)Will my vehicle be transported in an open or enclosed carrier?
- v) Do you offer a tracking system or regular updates on the delivery status?
- vi) How do you handle any damage that occurs during transportation?
- vii) What are your payment terms and conditions?
The above questions can be asked to develop a better idea of the company’s auto-shipping functions and its customer service quality.
Conclusion
Moving your car to a new city is crucial for you, and you must look to avoid any scam car shipping companies. This blog post illustrates some key signs used by a scam company. You can avoid falling into the trap of scam companies by identifying these signs easily. These include offering extremely low quotes as compared to the market and exerting pressure tactics to pay rapidly. You can save yourself from getting caught by scam auto transport shipping companies by remaining very careful in the first place, conducting thorough research, and asking the company’s customer support the correct questions. Following all of these guidelines will ensure that your vehicle is transported in a safe manner.