Toronto Mover's Blog - Moving companies review in Toronto/GTA

Licence Toronto moving companies to cut down on crooks: committee – National Post

torontomover — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:39:56 +0000

Natalie Alcoba Oct 14, 2011 – 11:20 AM ET | Last Updated: Oct 14, 2011 3:17 PM ET

Toronto police Detective Kevin Hooper says he has hundreds of horror stories of moving day gone badly wrong at the hands of shady companies.

Like the Haitian couple, new to Canada, who had scrounged up enough money to pay movers, only to be extorted for every last dime in their bank account. Most of the cases start the same: movers ask for cash up front, and then once a person’s belongings are sealed into the back of the truck, the enforcers start listing demands. “Meaning, I’m going to do this to you unless you give me the money I’ve asked for,” Det. Hooper told elected officials at City Hall on Thursday.

In an effort to protect customers from unscrupulous outfits, the city’s licencing and standards committee is asking the Ontario government to look at changing the law, so that Toronto can license and regulate household movers.

Det. Hooper thinks it will go a long way to weeding the bad guys out, since the city would do its “due diligence” before issuing a license.

“I think all of us have either had personal experience, or experience with friends who have been, plain and simple, ripped off by bandits who show up in a van and cheat people. It’s a very frustrating fraud, it’s a very frustrating crime because people are willing to pay,” said Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, a member of the committee. “People are willing to pay good money, to move their stuff… unfortunately for us, we who want to move and don’t do it every single week, we’re lambs to the slaughter.”

Last year, Toronto police busted one ring of movers operating under nine different aliases and charged them with various counts of fraud, extortion and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. A plea bargain resulted in the offenders paying $30,000 to their victims, said Det. Hooper. At the time, police alleged the scammers lured victims in by posting great prices on Craiglist or Kijiji.

• nalcoba@nationalpost.com

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/14/license-moving-companies-to-cut-down-on-crooks-committee/

Nine arrested in moving-company scheme – Globe and Mail

torontomover — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:31:55 +0000

SARAH BOESVELD

From Friday’s Globe and Mail Published on Thursday, May. 20, 2010 9:16AM EDT Last updated on Friday, May. 21, 2010 8:26AM EDT

Leslie Nye had scoured online classified sites for a cheap, efficient, reliable mover and thought she’d hit the jackpot with one Toronto-based company.

Master Movers, she said, promised a seamless job done for just $500, a price that included insurance and a $180 flat fee to cover gas for the move from Toronto to London, Ont., where her husband, Steve Blakeney, lived.

Perfect, Ms. Nye thought.

The experience on moving day was anything but, she said. As soon as the movers arrived on Dec. 13, 2009, (half an hour late, she said), out popped all kinds of hidden costs – $30 for each time a mover carried an item down the stairs, she said. Then, she added, they charged extra for insurance and wouldn’t reconnect the couple with the person who had given them the original quote.

“At that point my husband turned to me and said ‘I think we’re going to be screwed.’ ”

When all of their items had been locked in the truck, she said the movers demanded about $1,460.

The company is among 11 named in a massive Toronto Police crackdown on moving companies in the Greater Toronto Area.

Early Thursday morning, police executed raids on homes and businesses they had targeted in a lengthy investigation into schemes in which movers allegedly defrauded clients and often held their belongings hostage.

They arrested eight men and one woman who face a total of 160 charges, many of them related to fraud.

During the raids, police seized 13 moving trucks, $20,000 in cash and two vehicles, including a 2004 Audi and 2001 Mercedes Benz.

Police are still hoping to arrest one man who had been in contact with authorities but refused to turn himself in, said Constable Tony Vella.

Companies allegedly involved are Indo-Pak Movers, Desi Movers, Supreme Movers, Comfortable Movers, Dynamic Movers, Elizabeth Movers, Pacific Van Line Moving Inc., Master Movers, A1 Express Movers and Xpress Movers, police say.

Calls and e-mails to Master Movers were not returned Thursday night.

In March, Toronto Police warned consumers to watch for companies that first quote a very low price, then have the client sign a contract on the day of the move.

If the client refuses to pay more, police said movers threaten to hold their belongings in storage or dump them in the street.

Ms. Nye said she was able to haggle the moving company down to about $1,300. After agreeing on that amount, she said the movers followed the couple in their truck as they got the money from the bank. Then the couple followed the moving truck to their home in London – just to make sure it arrived.

“The conversation between my husband and I on our way to London was ‘What can we do? They’ve got our stuff, they’ve got our money. We’re screwed,’ ” she said.

They reported it to police only on Thursday when they learned about the investigation, she said.

Many people don’t report being defrauded, said Constable Vella, because they’re embarrassed to not have heeded any red flags.

Ms. Nye said the whole experience made her feel “very stupid and naive.”

Charged are Syed Altaf Hussain, 57, Arif Adnan Syed, 27, Syed Amit Monwar Hussain, 29, Clyde Alen Muffty, 34, Scott Paul Slater, 31, Vanessa Longhurst, 38, Joseph Lima, 22, and Syed Tamim Rejw Hussain, 25, all residents of the Toronto area. Jimmy Roland Veilleux, 35, of Toronto, is wanted on fraud charges.

Police believe there may be more victims.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/nine-arrested-in-moving-company-scheme/article1575472/

Toronto Movers – too good to be true moving quotes

torontomover — Thu, 13 May 2010 01:41:09 +0000

Got a low moving quote from Toronto moving company that looks too good to be true? Check here: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/crime/article/720790–fraud-squad-investigates-mover

Believe in $25/hour rates for two movers? READ this: http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/mark_bonokoski/2009/10/24/11510236-sun.html#/news/2009/10/24/pf-11513466.html

General Moving Tips from Toronto Moving Company

torontomover — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:55:38 +0000

General moving tips

Do not forget to read this when you have decided to shift you house. Many people do not wish to move often from one place to other. Hence they might not have enough experience in moving their belongings to a new place. Here are some of the useful moving tips to guide you.

o Not all the seasons are same. This is true even for moving industry. There are Peak and off peak season during which the cost of moving many vary. Summer is the peak season for demanding heavier cost. So the cost may be higher if you chose to move on summer season. Hence to reduce the moving cost, reschedule moving to a less busy time.
o Set up appointments with movers by contacting them through any means for an On-site estimate. Get different estimates from various moving companies since they depend on the quality of the company, percentage of workers, popularity and advertisements. The estimate may be either on hourly basis or flat rate.
o A visual inventory will be done by a relocation consultant about the items and contents in your home. He then issues a written offer guaranteeing you move.
o Do a complete inspection from attic to basement of your house to decide what to take and what to discard before relocation consultant enters into survey sheet. To avoid additional charges, this is the best thing to follow.
o Before the mover arrives prepare a checklist of all the items that are kept ready for shifting. When the movers completes his work cross check with his estimate and checklist with your checklist to make sure no item is left out or included additionally.
o Do not forget to pack all your belongings to ensure safety. If not it may end in breakage of items. This service is also provided by many moving companies but it is not advisable to do so since you will show more concern to your contents rather that anybody else.
o Movers will not take responsibility of any damages when the things are packed by the customers. So when you pack the items be aware and handle with care. Also write brief descriptions in each package for easy identification when they are kept in new place. Some may demand for additional cost if the driver repacks all cartons which are not packed properly.
o So, if you decide to pack on your own complete a day before moving since you will have no time on the moving day to care about the packing.
o Due care should be taken while moving furniture products. If any wax or oil is applied it, the wood may get softened and damaged. Do not take any chemicals or inflammable substance to avoid fire accidents.
o You may come across any unusual situations or unexpected circumstances like parking problem, street accessibility or road access etc. These kind of hectic situations result in increase of moving charges. So consult with the concerned authorities to avoid such problems.
o Ensure that the moving company is reliable and possess high quality moving techniques. Enquire if any complaints are made on the particular moving company.
o Inform about your new locality to the post office, bank and other institutes. Make necessary changes in your identity proofs about the new address.

Carefully follow the above steps to avoid any complications on or after moving process.

Toronto Moving Scams- Consumers BEWARE!

torontomover — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:32:52 +0000

Hello People:

PLEASE PASS ALONG TO EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LISTS SO OTHERS WILL NOT BE SCAMMED!!!!!

READ TO THE BOTTOM TO FIND A LIST OF MOVING COMPANIES WHO WILL FRAUDULENTLY OVERCHARGE YOU AND HOLD YOUR BELONGINGS HOSTAGE UNTIL YOU PAY UP!!!!

Latest Update:

Nine arrested in moving-company scheme

Range of hidden costs arise once movers have belongings hostage

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/nine-arrested-in-moving-company-scheme/article1575472/

Right now there are a list of unscrupulous moving companies that are ripping off innocent seniors, students, and families.

They list their services on internet sites like Kijiji, Craigslist, and free classified ads. They service the Southern Ontario region.

Here is how they falsely advertise:

1. They list an ad offering moving services with a host of “free” upgrades. Examples of free upgrades are: boxes, shrink-wrap, wardrobes etc.

2. They list the price of moving with NO HIDDEN COSTS- 1 truck with one mover $29.99 per hour, 1 truck with 2 movers $49.00 per hour and so on.

3. They offer special discounts for mid-month moves, seniors and students.

4. The give a cell phone number as their company number.

EVEN IF YOU ASK ALL THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT MILEAGE CHARGES OR OTHER COSTS, THEY WILL STILL SCAM YOU AND TELL YOU THERE ARE NO HIDDEN COSTS-THIS IS A BOLD FACE LIE!

IN ADDITION THE FREE SERVICES THEY OFFER NEVER MATERIALIZES.

This is how the scam works on the day of your move:

Movers come on the day of the move. They request a deposit to begin the move. Unusually $200.00. They load up all you belongings in the truck and then say they have to “calculate” the final fees.

The movers then invoice you for transportation fees, heavy item fees, stair fees, mileage fees, dispatch and inflated labour fees. The original quote you receive from them is now inflated by 200%. They will only accept CASH payment and/or certified checks or M.O.

They tell you to pay up or they will steal your stuff.

HERE IS THE CURRENT LIST OF SCAM MOVERS AND THEIR ALIAS NAMES

(THIS IS ALL THE SAME RIP-OFF OWNER!):

905-672-0952, 416-994-4694

Various Address used by these Fraudulent companies:
7546 Redstone Rd
Mississauga, Ontario L4T 2B8
Canada

20 Millwick Drive unit #5
Toronto, Ontario
M9L 2B5

Complete Movers:
http://completemovers.ca/index.html

C.M.S Moving and Storage:

L.M.S. Moving and Storage:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/Search/complete-movers.aspx

AAA Sterling Movers:
STR MOVERS INC. 416-871-4456

G.T.A. Moving and Storage:

This is also Logan Moving and Storage but they use a reputable company name as an alias.

L & G Movers also known as:
Logan Moving and Storage
http://www.loganmovers.ca

TOLL FREE: 1-866-482-8464
Toronto movers:416-994-4694
Mississauga movers: 905-672-0952

ALL OF THE MOVERS LISTED ABOVE ARE FRAUDULENT RIP OFF ARTISTS

Add your comments to this post so others will not be ripped off.

If you have been ripped by this moving scam please email:

fraudmovers@hushmail.com

THE MORE PEOPLE WHO COME FORWARD THE BETTER.
HELP SHUT DOWN THESE SCAM ARTISTS!

Toronto Movers Packing tips

torontomover — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:40:15 +0000

Packing before Moving
A common problem faced by people when relocating is the actual process of moving. Packing and moving from one place to another place is a difficult task. Packing the entire households belongings and safely transferring them to a destination is a daunting task. Some people get confused about moving facilities and finally face difficulties at the time of moving.

In the early days someone said “If the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail”. This statement is true in regards to moving. If you can hire the right mover, then the task of moving will not be difficult. However, if you don’t wish to hire a packer, then you have to buy proper packing supplies on your own. There are varieties of packing supplies in market. Boxes are the most important packing supplies. Boxes of different shapes and sizes are easily available and they can be custom built for your requirement. These boxes are made of cardboard. Large boxes can be used for numerous small objects, while small ones can be used for heavy objects. If people hire a packing service, that company brings cardboard boxes for packing and moving things.

Tape is an important material necessary for packing things. When things are properly stored in cardboard boxes, tape has to be put on them so that your belongings won’t fall out of the box. Depending on packing boxes, packing tape has to be purchased. It’s better if people buy more than one packing tape. Some packing tapes have a built-in dispenser. These tapes make the process of taping easy and fast because you won’t lose the tape end each time and neither will you waste tape. Besides cardboard boxes there are other packing materials like newspapers, plastic bags, hay, bubble wrap, thermocol, and many other types of fillers in the market. As plastic bags are not safe to use people prefer paper bags or organic bags. In order to give extra protection to delicate items people can use bubble wraps, foam peanuts and blankets. Sometimes people get confused with labels of boxes. In order to know about boxes and their contents people can use labels. Labels are only options; t
hey are not part of packing. People can stick labels on important boxes and write about the content in them.

Moving is not so easy and simple. Before moving packages from one location to another, people should know a few things. First of all they should hire a great truck. The truck used for transportation should be large enough to carry all your stuff. If you realize that the cost of self packing and moving arrangements is high then take help of professional packers and movers. Such a company packs things properly and takes them to a destination without causing any damage to them. The Packers and movers company packs, insures, loads, transport, and delivers safely. Cash or travelers checks should be used for paying money to packers and movers. Generally most of these packers and movers take money only after delivery.

Choosing a Toronto Moving Company

torontomover — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:31:42 +0000

Choosing a Toronto Moving Company
Packing and moving is a difficult task for people. In such situations people should take help of packers and movers. They pack things safely, and shift them to a required location. Even though there are many packing and moving companies in Toronto, people always find it difficult to find a reputed moving company. A Toronto moving company that provides better insurance, safety and advanced moving facilities is the one you should be looking at.
A Toronto moving company that treats customers well will always be a good option. Making a move across the state is a big deal. If people don’t take help of the best moving company, everything goes wrong. Whenever people plan moving, the first thing they worry about is safety of their belongings. Every house may have some delicate and sensitive assets. Memorabilia, glass furniture, and cherished belongings should be properly packed and carefully delivered to destination.

People have to keep some things in mind before taking help of a Toronto moving company. Some moving companies ensure safety. They see to it that all items are safely delivered without any damage. People should be careful when judging policies of moving companies. There are some moving companies which may not guarantee safe results. These companies just deliver items and don’t claim any responsibility for breakage or damage to items.
Five things can be considered when judging a Toronto moving company. The first thing required for deciding a company’s worth is reputation. Any reputation gives vital information about a company’s performance. In order to find the best Toronto moving company people should call the local chamber of commerce. The business bureau provides necessary information about a Toronto moving company. It will give vital information about the best moving company available in Toronto. If you don’t get satisfied by the response from such bureaus, you should search the yellow pages, directories, and online, to find one best company. Better reputation guarantees safety provided by a company.

Second thing required for a Toronto moving company is expertise. Movers selected by people should have the ability to handle moving across the country: They should not be restricted only to a few towns. The charge for packing and moving things should be properly considered by people. Some companies impose extra tax on moving items. A good Toronto moving company offers extra safety along with insurance benefits. It charges extra money for safely transferring items.

Another feature of a good Toronto moving company is availability. The company you select for moving things should offer services 24×7. The Fourth feature of a good Toronto moving company is the price quote offered. The price quote provides detailed information about fees a company charges for packing and moving things. Some companies charge a common fee for packing and moving, while others take separate fees for packing, and moving.

Another feature to be considered is their contract form. A good Toronto moving company prints a contract form, with detailed information about number of packages, time of packing, estimated time of delivery, and actual time of delivery.

Toronto Mover – Shifting to a better place

torontomover — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:52:55 +0000

Moving ones base is exciting as well as stressful for people. Moving is not an easy job. It needs time, planning and someone to help throughout the moving process. At such times, professional Toronto moving is the best option to settle for. A reputed Toronto moving company has got years of experience and could even have branches across the globe.
Toronto movers offers hassle free services, are reliable and trust worthy. Their customer oriented business practice is low on cost, and expenses. Information regarding their offers is available on the internet. People can check the market, and meet a company consultant personally to get answers. To make use of their services, there are simple registration procedures to be followed. At first you have to fill a form giving personal details and details about shifting needs. The form would also require details about stuff that has to be shifted. This includes a comprehensive list of furniture, and other house hold items, contact details, etc.
Before shifting, a customer should take advice from company consultants. They guide you regarding shifting cost estimates, inspecting your stuff, and let you know when the stuff can be shifted. Such estimates and timely negotiations can help in reducing shifting costs as getting rid of the unnecessary items reduces costs. A garage sale is the best way to avoid the items not required but price, and tax details must be checked with municipal authorities.
Counselors also help regarding insurance needs for customers’ belongings. Insurance gives a sense of security to the customer. Even if any damage is caused to the stuff during shifting, all damage will be taken care of by the company. The company is expected to give details about what services will be included in return for the expenses borne by the customer.
Toronto moving facilities charge on an hourly basis. This includes travel time which begins once the stuff is loaded and the onward journey is begun till the end of the shifting process to the new location. Some fragile belongings which are difficult to shift are also taken care of by the movers. The packing material provided by the company is charged separated and not included in the travel expenses. So, before opting for the company’s packing services, customer should consult with the company to get an estimate the total cost.
The company’s responsibility is to guarantee safe and efficient shifting. This requires large and reliable vehicles to carry belongings over large distances. Toronto movers provides shrink wraps, and special moving blankets used for wrapping your belongings on order to avoid accidental scratches and any damage to the furniture.
If any special services are required, then the company should be informed in advance so that they are ready to cater to the customer’s needs at the time of shifting. This also strengthens a company’s reputation and helps them flourish in this competitive business. Toronto Movers offer special services for storage and accommodation of durables, helping with small or large loads, packing special packages, insuring your load, etc. Also most Toronto moving companies offer Long distance moving services to Toronto, GTA, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Montreal, Rosedale, Beaches, Danforth, Kingston, Riverdale, Leaside, Ottawa, High Park, Mississaga, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Cheap Truck Rentals, Brampton, Woodbridge, Toronto Storage | North York Movers,Thornhill, London, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket, Markham, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa

Review of Toronto Movers

torontomover — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:36:32 +0000

Does anyone have any recent experiences with moving companies in Toronto? We’re moving soon and need to find a mover.

Interesting video about moving companies: