Spot a vehicle transport scam before you move your car, truck or motorcycle

Moving is stressful, expensive, and time-consuming. That makes it a perfect opportunity for scammers. If you are relocating and need help transporting your vehicle, watch out for this scam.

How the scam works

You search the internet for a vehicle transport service, hoping to get a quote. After browsing a few companies, you find one offering a great deal. All you have to do is send them a deposit of a few hundred dollars, usually via a digital wallet service.

Once the deposit is made, you get a pickup date, but no one shows up when the date rolls around. The company may tell you that the driver was held up, but any attempts to contact that person are fruitless. Ultimately, you’ll have lost any money you paid to a fake company with no intention of transporting anything.

However, some versions of this scam are more extreme. A few consumers reported to BBB Scam Tracker a variation where the “company” did transport their vehicles. The problems began when they wanted to pick up the car at their destination. The company asked for more money than previously agreed, essentially holding the car, truck, or motorcycle hostage.

One consumer reported this experience: “I booked a shipment to have a motorcycle transported. The motorcycle was picked up at the location and never delivered to me. I had already made payment with PayPal for the cost of the transport, but the representative told me the funds were kicked back. I checked my PayPal account and did not receive a credit… I told him I didn’t feel comfortable with this and refused to send him any funds. He then stated the bike would be placed in a storage unit and it would cost $900 to have it released.” The consumer continued to receive Cash App requests for payments, which he refused to pay. However, the consumer has not been able to locate his motorcycle. [Note: PayPal and CashApp are BBB Accredited Businesses] How to avoid vehicle transport scams

• Do thorough research to find a reputable shipping company. When it comes to expensive services and important, high-dollar possessions, doing research is critical. Plenty of reputable transport companies are out there for you to find. Look for companies with verifiable contact information, good customer service, and reviews on third-party websites. Avoid companies that don’t have a website, are difficult to contact, or have poor or no reviews. A good place to start your research is right here on BBB.org.

• Watch out for deals that sound too good to be true. If a company quotes you a price significantly lower than the market value for a service or product, consider it a red flag. In this scam (and many others), scammers try to lure their victims with unrealistic prices.

• Think about how you make payments. Don’t forget that payments made through digital wallet apps are essentially cash payments. These services are designed to be used with people you trust. Instead, pay with your credit card. It’s easier to contest fraudulent charges on your credit card. Also, never make payments for services by wiring money or with prepaid debit cards. Anyone who requests payment this way is probably a scammer. See these tips from Cash App on identifying scams.