With a tight economy and more people than ever downsizing or losing their homes, finding a reputable and inexpensive moving company can be a very important task. However, far too many people are finding themselves taken in by the $40 per hour moving scam.

The $40 per hour moving scam goes something like this. Someone who needs to move finds an ad on craigslist, in their local newspaper, or at some other classified ad site online. The advertisement promises to movers and a truck that will pack your stuff and move it for $40 an hour.

The problem is that no professional mover could ever operate on this budget. Professional movers have insurance for your merchandise and for their trucks as well as salaries to pay for the movers, transportation costs and fuel costs for the trucks, and general overhead.

The most common variation on the $40 per hour moving scam is that once these rogue movers have all your worldly possessions, they refused to deliver them to your new home unless you pay exorbitant fees that were never discussed before they had custody of your things. In another variant, the scam movers simply never show up with your goods and sell it off as though it were their own.

To avoid being taken in by the $40 per hour moving scam, contact reputable movers and expect to pay about $60 per hour, depending on your location, for true professionals. You can further protect yourself by asking for proof of the company’s liability insurance and checking them with your local Better Business Bureau before agreeing to let them touch your merchandise.

Better yet, get a list of references and check it. And be sure to read through any contract you are offered thoroughly. The simple steps will help you to avoid becoming the next victim of the $40 per hour moving scam.