You found a mover online. Their website looked professional. The quote was surprisingly low. You paid an advance. And then your belongings were locked in a truck 600 kilometres away, and the "company" was demanding ₹15,000 more before they'd deliver a single carton.
This isn't a rare horror story. It's happening every month, across every major city in India.
In 2025 alone, 12,847 complaints were filed with India's National Consumer Helpline against packers and movers – and that number only counts the people who knew where to complain. The actual scale of fraud is far larger. With India's relocation industry now worth ₹90,016 crore and growing at 14% a year, unverified operators have more opportunity – and more incentive – than ever to exploit unsuspecting customers.
At ShiftEazy, we've spent 6+ years verifying over 1,120 transporters across India. We've seen every trick in the book. This article is our attempt to make sure you never fall for any of them.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: fraudulent packers and movers have become sophisticated. They no longer operate from dusty offices with no phone number. Today's scammer has:
92% of India's moving industry operates in the unorganised sector – over 50,000 operators are almost entirely unverified. Only 12% of moves in India are even insured. The gap between what customers assume and what's actually true is enormous. That gap is where fraud lives.
This is the most common scam in the industry. A mover offers you an irresistibly low estimate — say, ₹6,000 for a 1BHK local move. You agree. Your goods are packed and loaded. And then, once everything is on the truck, the price suddenly becomes ₹11,000. New charges appear from nowhere: "special packing materials", "staircase charges", and "extra labour". You're stuck. Your belongings are already on the truck.
The red flag: Any quote that is significantly lower than 2–3 other quotes you've received. Legitimate movers price similarly because their costs are real — fuel, labour, packing materials, and insurance. A quote that undercuts the market by 30% or more is almost always a setup.
This is where the scam turns genuinely threatening. Your belongings are picked up, transported, and then held at the destination until you pay a dramatically inflated amount. The mover won't unload until you transfer the money. You have no legal leverage in the moment, and the stress of the situation pushes most people to simply pay.
The red flag: A company that refuses to give you a written contract before loading or asks for only verbal agreements. No written contract means no legal recourse. If they won't put it in writing, they're counting on you having no proof.
The mover charges you a transit insurance premium — often ₹500–₹2,000. You feel protected. Your goods get damaged in transit. You file a claim. And then you discover there is no insurance policy. The "insurance" was never registered anywhere. The money went straight into the mover's pocket.
The red flag: Always ask for the insurance policy document — not just a receipt showing you paid for insurance. A genuine policy will have a policy number, the insurer's name, and coverage details you can verify independently.
Fraudulent companies deliberately name themselves to sound like trusted brands. "Agarwal Packers" is one of India's most impersonated brands — there are dozens of fake operators using variations of that name to confuse customers. They copy logos, use similar websites, and even claim to be "affiliates" or "regional partners" of the original company.
The red flag: Always verify the company's GST number on the official GST portal (gst.gov.in). The registered business name and address on the portal must match exactly what the company tells you. A mismatch is a dealbreaker.
Many fraudulent movers exist entirely online. They have a professional-looking website, a mobile number, and nothing else. No physical office. No registered address you can visit. When something goes wrong, they simply disappear — new SIM card, new website, same scam.
In December 2025, Surat Police's Special Operations Group busted a major cyber fraud racket operating from inside a movers and packers office front, with 14 mule bank accounts and 71 fraud complaints linked to it from across India. The office was just a cover.
The red flag: If you can't find or visit a physical office, don't hand over your belongings. A legitimate company will always welcome a visit. A fraudulent one will make excuses.
This is the subtlest scam. Your goods arrive — but certain items are missing or replaced. Electronics go missing. Jewellery disappears. Expensive items get quietly swapped. By the time you notice, the truck is long gone, and without a detailed inventory signed before loading, you have no proof of what was even picked up. This applies equally to household moves and car transportation or bike transportation — always document the condition of your vehicle before handing over the keys.
The red flag: Any mover that refuses to create a detailed, item-by-item inventory (called a "packing list") before loading is hiding something. A genuine mover will insist on an inventory because it protects them too.
Before handing over a single rupee or a single carton, run through this checklist:
1. Verify their GST number: Go to gst.gov.in and enter the company's 15-digit GSTIN. Check that the registered name, address, and status (must say "Active") match what the company has told you. A handwritten GST number on a bill is an immediate red flag.
2. Check MCA registration: Go to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal (mca.gov.in) and search for the company name. Verify their incorporation date, company type, and director details. If they don't appear, they aren't legally registered.
3. Ask for an IBA approval (if applicable): If you work for a bank, government organisation, or corporate that reimburses relocation costs, your mover must be IBA-approved. You can verify IBA-approved transporters directly on the IBA's official website using the company's IBA number.
4. Demand a written contract: The contract must clearly state: all services included, a complete cost breakdown, pickup and delivery dates, insurance details, and what happens in case of damage or delay. If they refuse to provide one, walk away.
5. Get the insurance policy document: Not just a receipt. Ask for the actual policy document with a policy number, insurer's name, and coverage terms. Verify it with the insurer directly if the move involves valuable items.
6. Compare at least 3–4 quote: Use a platform like ShiftEazy to get quotes from multiple verified movers simultaneously. This gives you a market benchmark. Any quote more than 25–30% below the average deserves serious scrutiny.
7. Insist on a packing list before loading: Before a single item goes onto the truck, get a complete, signed inventory of everything being moved. This is your only protection if items go missing. A legitimate mover will do this automatically — it's standard practice.
The word "verified" gets thrown around loosely in the movie industry. Here's exactly what it means when ShiftEazy lists a transporter as verified:
Every one of our 1,120+ listed transporters has been checked for GST registration, physical office address, transporter licence from the RTO, transit insurance coverage, and customer review history. We cross-check their credentials, not just accept what they claim.
This is why customers who book through ShiftEazy save an average of 25% – not because we find cheaper packers and movers, but because we eliminate the fraudulent lowball quotes entirely and show you real prices from real, accountable companies. You're comparing apples to apples, not apples to scams.
If you've fallen victim to a fraudulent mover, don't panic. You have legal options:
In the moving industry, an unusually low price is not a deal. It's a warning.
Genuine movers have real costs fuel, trained staff, quality packing materials, vehicle maintenance, and insurance premiums. A company that quotes 40% below market is either cutting corners on all of these or planning to charge you the difference once your belongings are on their truck.
The safest thing you can do is compare multiple quotes from verified sources, read contracts before you sign anything, and never, ever pay 100% upfront.
ShiftEazy exists precisely because finding a trustworthy mover in India shouldn't require this much detective work. We do the verification so you don't have to.
Check their GST number on gst.gov.in – the registered name and address must match the company's details exactly. Also verify their company registration on mca.gov.in, confirm they have a physical office you can visit, and ask for a written contract before anything is loaded. A genuine company will never hesitate to provide any of this.
IBA stands for Indian Banks' Association. IBA-approved movers have been vetted against specific quality, insurance, and service standards. If you work for a bank, PSU, or corporation that reimburses relocation costs, your mover must be IBA-approved — otherwise your claim will be rejected. You can verify a mover's IBA status directly on the IBA's official website using their IBA number.
No. Never pay 100% upfront to any mover, verified or not. Standard industry practice is to pay a small advance at the time of booking, a portion at pickup, and the balance only after successful delivery. Any mover demanding full payment before your goods are even loaded is a major red flag.
Do not transfer any additional money under pressure. Note the truck's vehicle registration number immediately. Call the local police — holding goods for ransom is a criminal offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Also call the National Consumer Helpline at 1800-11-4000 (toll-free). If you booked through ShiftEazy, call us at +91 9599100937, and we will escalate on your behalf.
Ask for the actual insurance policy document — not just a payment receipt. The document must include a policy number, the name of the insurance company, coverage amount, and validity dates. Call the insurer directly on their official number (not one provided by the mover) to confirm the policy is active. If the mover can only give you a receipt but no policy document, the insurance is almost certainly fake.
A packing list (also called a consignment note or inventory) is a detailed, signed record of every item being moved, including its condition before loading. It is your only proof of what was handed over to the mover. If anything goes missing or gets damaged, the packing list is what gives you legal standing to file a claim. Always insist on one, and keep your signed copy safe.
At least 3 to 4 quotes from different verified movers. This gives you a realistic picture of market rates. On ShiftEazy, you can get 4 free quotes in under 2 minutes from our verified network—making it easy to compare prices, check credentials, and choose confidently. Any quote that is 25–30% below the others deserves serious scrutiny before you proceed.
Yes. You can file a consumer complaint online at consumerhelpline.gov.in or call 1800-11-4000 (toll-free, available Monday to Saturday). For criminal fraud — such as theft or non-delivery — visit your nearest police station and file an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Keep all evidence: payment receipts, WhatsApp messages, the truck's number plate, and photos of your goods before loading.
Yes. Every transporter on ShiftEazy's platform has been checked for GST registration, physical office address, RTO transporter licence, transit insurance coverage, and customer review history. We verify their credentials independently — we don't just list whoever applies. This is what allows our customers to compare real quotes from accountable companies and save up to 25% on their move.
The standard GST rate for packers and movers services in India is 18%. If a company is only offering transportation (cargo transfer without packing), the GST rate is 5%. Be cautious if a mover's bill shows a different rate, has a handwritten GST number, or the GSTIN doesn't match when verified on gst.gov.in — these are signs of a fake or non-compliant bill.
Ready to move safely? Get free quotes from 4 verified movers in 2 minutes at shifteazy.in — and never worry about who you're trusting with your home.
