A little introduction

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In 2022 the auto transport scam became very popular in the niche and people who do it for the first time can easily be scammed if not following the proper research before booking. 

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What is the car shipping scam?

Generally speaking, auto transportation scam is basically the website which advertises all over the internet without having authority, insurance and the main thing is an intention to ship your car. 

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How to determine a legit auto transport company?

To make that company you have found online is legit you need to a few steps:

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1. Take the company's name and simply Google it. You should easily find its listing online on many websites and platforms and likely have Google Business Page where you can check reviews. This will allow you to make that company operate in the best way. 
2. Go to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and check the car shipping company’s profile there to see if the company is allowed to operate and bonded. 
3. Ask to receive an official estimate and you should receive an email from address@company’s_domain.com, but not from address@gmail.com and have an official estimate with their logo and company information. 

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Types of the car shipping scams

The few ways how auto transport scams operates: 

1. Baiting you with a very low and competitive price. Really, it can’t cost you $1000 to ship a car on the other coast, it’s 3000 miles. All those companies do is take a deposit and card information from you as soon as possible to make you stick with them. After some time they will call or even pick up your car and say that unfortunately, the price went up for another $$$ and you will have to pay that because the company will have that clause in the contract and have your car on the trailer. More likely you can trust companies that give you a final price with all fees included and will state on the invoice. 
2. Legit car shipping brokers will always be honest with saying that and there is nothing bad in it; they do customer and logistic service for you in that complicated process. Company that gives you a very low price, refusing that it’s a brokerage, will likely offer your car for a low price to the drivers which can cause you a delay or a price jump. 

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What to do if you have been scammed?

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1. Contact the company and try to resolve the issue peacefully with a manager.
2. If the first step doesn’t help -  open the claim on Better Business Bureau and see if that helps. 
3. Report the company to the Federal Trade Commission and contact FMCSA. 
4. Try to dispute a paid money through the bank. 

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Conclusion

Make some research before booking a car shipping with a company. Read reviews on a couple platforms and see what people actually say. Check the company’s authorization on the FMCSA website to make sure it’s in a good position. 

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Now, you will easily find auto transport companies to avoid. 

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If you’re looking to read more about shipping your car check our auto transport blog or get a quote from our professional car shipping company.

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