Can A Moving Company Ask For Cash?

If you are reading this blog, it is because you are about to embark on a journey; unfortunately, in this world, whenever you are experiencing significant changes in your life, it usually involves money. You have received a quote from a moving company. Your moving/sales representative has told you, "in order to reserve this move, you are required to pay a deposit; additionally, upon pick up, 50 percent of the remaining balance is due after deducting your deposit from the total cost; lastly on drop off the remaining balance is due." Now, as for the deposit, your moving company should and may allow you to use a credit card to reserve your truck; if a moving company is asking for cash as a deposit, then you should not work with them; this is a major red flag for a shady moving company, once you pay the mover cash, you have no guarantee that the movers will arrive. If the moving company does not arrive, you do not have any options to recover the funds back; even your local police station cannot help you as this is a civil matter. Perhaps you have been scammed, maybe this person you paid the cash to is not a moving company after all, or perhaps the mover had every intention of servicing you but is experiencing technical difficulties with his truck and crew; what if you call and ask that moving company to pay you back, do you think the mover will? I don't know; I doubt it; after all, a mover will be a mover.

What if the moving company accepted your deposit via credit card, but your foreman is asking you for cash on pick up? Why do moving companies ask for cash? Is it normal for moving companies to ask for cash? Usually, it is; because moving companies in the past have accepted credit on pick-up and delivery, which have resulted in credit card disputes, leaving the moving company unprofitable. Picture this you perform a service for someone that requires a lot of effort. This project took you several days to finish, and the individual you worked with paid you $3,000.00 via credit card once you finished the project. Fast forward to 2 weeks later, you receive a notice from your bank account that $3,000.00 has been removed from your account due to a dispute (Chargeback); you call the bank and ask why? Their response is a "client you worked with has disputed a transaction and deemed it as fraud" You are extremely upset about this as you worked extremely hard with this customer; you call the customer no answer; you call again and realize the customer has blocked all of your incoming calls. Do you get the picture now? Can a moving company ask you for cash? Yes, they can; as long as they are a legitimate moving company when paying cash, make sure you have copies of every payment you made in writing. Some moving companies already know that if you use a credit card for payment, you are likely to dispute that transaction because often the original estimate is usually raised on pick up, sometimes a reasonable amount, other times an obnoxious increase, either way, the moving company just does not want have to deal with recovering those lost funds if you do decide to dispute that transaction. My best advice would be; to do ample research on the mover to make sure they are legit; if the moving company is legit, you can pay them cash, you will find out how legit this company is when they arrive on move day to load your belongings onto the truck if you are not comfortable with the way the moving company works and your gut is telling you no, then don't be afraid to cancel the job.