Every moving season, the same story repeats across Indian cities: a family books the cheapest quote from a listings site and pays a large advance — then the 'company' stops answering calls, sometimes with the truck and household still missing. The moving industry has a low entry barrier. A phone number plus a rented tempo is enough to pose as a company.
The good news: fraud operators fail simple verification checks that take ten minutes. Run every shortlisted mover through these seven, in order — most fakes fall at the first three.
The 7 checks that filter out fraud
A genuine mover can pass all seven of these without hesitation. Treat any refusal or excuse as your answer.
- Verify the GST number. Ask for it, then check it on the official GST portal (gst.gov.in → Search Taxpayer). The registered legal name and state should match what they claim. No GSTIN or a mismatched name — walk away.
- Confirm a physical office exists. Check the address on Google Maps street view, or visit if the move is valuable. Fraud operators list fake or virtual addresses; established movers have real branches you can walk into.
- Insist on a survey before the quote. No serious mover prices a house sight-unseen. A free pre-move survey — in person or on video call — is the industry standard; a firm price given in 30 seconds on the phone is a hook, not a quote.
- Get the quote in writing, itemised. It should list volume, vehicle type, packing material, labour, insurance and GST separately. Verbal 'all-inclusive' quotes grow surprise charges on moving day, when your goods are already on the truck.
- Check the advance percentage. Standard practice is a small booking advance with the balance on delivery. Anyone demanding 50–100% upfront is showing you exactly how the story ends.
- Ask about transit insurance in writing. Genuine movers offer documented insurance and can explain the claim process. 'Everything is covered, don't worry' without paperwork covers nothing.
- Read reviews on multiple platforms. Google Maps reviews (sorted by newest), not just testimonials on the company's own site. A pattern of 'items missing' or 'demanded extra cash at delivery' reviews is disqualifying, whatever the average star rating.
Red flags that end the conversation
Some signals don't need a full checklist — any one of these alone is reason to stop:
- A quote dramatically cheaper than every other quote — the difference reappears as 'extra charges' mid-move, with your goods held until you pay
- Company name subtly imitating a famous brand (extra word, different spelling) — a classic listing-site trick
- No GST invoice offered, or 'invoice costs extra'
- Pressure tactics: 'this price is only valid today'
- Payment requested to a personal UPI ID instead of a company account
Why cheapest usually costs the most
The uncomfortable truth about moving quotes: packing material, trained labour, a roadworthy truck and insurance have real costs that are similar for every honest operator. A quote 40% below market isn't efficiency — it's an operator who plans to skip the packing quality, sublet your goods to an unknown truck, or renegotiate when your furniture is hostage.
Compare quotes by what's included, not just the number: packing material quality, transit insurance, dedicated vs shared vehicle, and whether both ends of an intercity move are handled by the same company. Movers with their own branch network at both ends don't hand your goods to third parties mid-route — which is where most intercity damage and delay happens.
For reference pricing before you compare, see our published Bangalore rate card — knowing the honest market range is your best defence against a dishonest number.
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