Get a written estimate from several movers.
The estimate should be based on an actual inspection of your household goods.

Make sure the mover has insurance and is licensed by the proper authority.
For moves from one State to another, a U.S. DOT number is issued by FMCSA. You can double-check a mover's license on www.protectyourmove.gov. For moves within a State, requirements vary. Check with your State, county or local consumer affairs agency or your State attorney general.

Remember your priorities when choosing a mover.
If you hire a mover based solely on the cheapest price, you may be sacrificing other things that are actually more important, such as getting your possessions moved and delivered on time. And remember, movers are required by law to deliver your goods for no more than ten percent above the price of a non-binding estimate. This is known as the 110 percent rule.

Do your homework.
Read "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move," a booklet from the Federal government that your mover is required to give you if you are moving from one State to another. This booklet also has information you'll need if your goods are lost or damaged during the move. Finally, check the mover's complaint history with local consumer advocacy organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau.

Rogue movers typically work like this: Without ever visiting your home or seeing the goods you want moved, they give a low-ball estimate over the phone or Internet. Once your goods are on their truck, they demand more money before they'll deliver or unload them. They hold your goods hostage and force you to pay more—sometimes much more than you thought you had agreed to—if you want your possessions back.

Your best defense is to recognize a rogue mover before they have your goods. Here are the "red flags" to look out for:

• The mover doesn't offer or agree to an on-site inspection of your household goods and gives an estimate over the phone or Internet—sight-unseen. These estimates often sound too good-to-be-true. They usually are.
• The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
• The mover doesn't provide you with a copy of "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move," a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.
• The company's Web site has no local address and no information about licensing or insurance.
• The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance.
• When you call the mover, the telephone is answered with a generic "Movers" or "Moving company," rather than the company's name.
• Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.
• On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned and marked fleet truck.

*This guide was originally written by ProtectYourMove.gov, a project of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.