The Better Business Bureau on Tuesday issued a warning for Seattle Movers WA, a moving company headquartered in Seattle.
The BBB has received five complaints over the past nine months, two Scam Tracker reports and five 1-star customer reviews, according to the bureau.
Customers who used Seattle Movers WA reported missing and damaged items in complaints submitted to the BBB.
Customers also said the agreed-upon price was increased before the move was complete. Seattle Movers WA then demanded customers pay additional fees before movers would unload the truck, the BBB said. When customers tried to complain, company representatives provided a phone number to another moving business, leaving customers with no way to contact Seattle Movers WA, according to the BBB.
Customers have found Seattle Movers WA through advertisements on Craigslist, the BBB said. As recently as 2 p.m. Tuesday, Seattle Movers WA was still advertising on Craigslist, though the company’s website was inactive.
Business license searches with the Washington secretary of state, U.S. Department of Transportation and Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission show Seattle Movers WA does not have proper licenses.
The BBB has reached out to Seattle Movers WA multiple times to try to resolve customers’ claims, but the company has not responded, the BBB said.
The Seattle Times was unable to reach Seattle Movers WA on Wednesday.
Before publishing complaints and customer reviews on a company’s BBB profile page — whether a business has BBB accreditation or not — the BBB investigates all submitted interactions. The BBB issues a consumer warning only if a business is acting unethically in the marketplace and fails to respond to contact from the BBB.
The number of consumer warnings the BBB issues “can really fluctuate,” said Logan Hickle, BBB Washington public relations and communications manager. “It could be one per month, one per quarter or one per year.”
The consumer warning for Seattle Movers WA is the only active warning for businesses in the Seattle area, Hickle said.
Consumers’ best shot at a successful move “starts with researching moving companies and understanding how to ask the right questions,” said Dene’ Joubert, the investigations manager for BBB Great West + Pacific.
BBB has these tips for finding a trustworthy business, verifying licensing and insurance requirements and ensuring belongings stay safe and secure:
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