The best mover for your job is one whose identity, scope and responsibilities you can check. Start with the actual inventory and two addresses, then compare written proposals. A low headline price, a polished website or a five-star score on its own does not establish that a company can carry out your move.
Match the name on the quote to the business you are paying
Ask for the legal or trading identity that will appear on the quotation and invoice, along with a working contact for the move. Confirm who is performing the service and who takes responsibility for the goods. If a separate transport provider is involved, ask how that arrangement will be documented.
Where a business gives a GSTIN, use the official GST taxpayer search to check the registration details. Registration is an identity check, not a quality guarantee. Do not assume that every legitimate business has the same registration obligations, or that a GSTIN alone proves insurance, experience or service quality.
Before payment, reconcile the payee details with the written booking. A name difference may have an explanation, but obtain it through a verified contact before sending money. Keep the quote, payment receipt and correspondence together.
Check a changed contact or payment account independently
Similar names and logos can make two unrelated businesses look connected. Save the website address, quotation and contact details you verified at booking. If a new caller changes the bank account, UPI recipient or collection instructions, call back through that saved contact and ask for written confirmation. A forwarded logo or invoice image alone does not establish the caller’s identity.
Before collection, match the arriving team’s assignment with the booking contact. Ask who can approve a scope or payment change and who handles an unresolved issue while the crew is working. Keep those details available to your receiving person too. If the proposed arrangement differs from the booking, resolve it before handing over goods.
Never share a payment PIN, password or OTP to receive a refund. If you suspect financial cyber fraud, contact your bank or payment provider promptly and use the reporting route in the moving problem guide.
Ask how your particular move will be carried out
Provide the same item list and access information to each mover. Include floor, lift use, stairs, vehicle approach, bulky furniture and delicate belongings. A video or in-person survey can reveal issues that a bedroom count misses.
Useful questions include:
- What packing and furniture work are included, and what remains my responsibility?
- What vehicle or shared-load arrangement is proposed?
- Will goods be transferred or handled at another location?
- Who arranges building permissions and who provides crew or vehicle details?
- What is the collection appointment, and what is the expected delivery window?
- Who approves a price change if the inventory or access changes?
Evaluate the clarity of the answers. An absolute promise that nothing can go wrong is less useful than a clear plan for foreseeable problems.
Read reviews for relevant detail
Look across available sources and read recent, specific feedback about the kind of move you need. A local apartment move is different from a long-distance vehicle shipment. Notice how complaints were handled and whether the company response explains the issue. Reviews can be incomplete or manipulated, so use them alongside identity and scope checks.
Ask for genuine examples the business has permission to share. Do not expect private customer addresses, identity documents or unredacted invoices as proof.
Separate packing, liability and insurance
A promise to pack carefully is not an insurance policy. Ask what the moving contract says about responsibility and what protection, if any, can be purchased for your consignment. Request the insurer name, document, insured value, premium, exclusions and claim instructions. Do not rely on the word “insured” in an advertisement.
Our claims and insurance guide explains the questions to resolve before collection and the records to keep at delivery.
Review payment and cancellation terms before booking
An advance is not, by itself, proof of a scam. What matters is knowing the amount, recipient, purpose, booking confirmation and cancellation conditions before you pay. Ask how a reschedule is handled and what happens if the mover cannot perform the agreed service.
Pause when important details keep changing, you cannot identify the recipient, or you are pressured to pay before receiving the scope. Resolve those gaps through a verified channel.
For a line-by-line price comparison, use our separate moving quote comparison checklist. When you are ready, request a Shiftify quote using the same inventory and access details.