How to Spot a Fake Mover in Pakistan, and What to Do if Your Goods Are Held

ByMarsoos International

Most bad moving stories in Pakistan start the same way. Someone finds a number on Facebook, OLX, or a search ad, gets a very low price on WhatsApp, and books. The truck is unmarked. Halfway through the trip, or at the new gate, the price doubles, and the driver will not unload until the extra cash is paid. Movers call this a hostage load. Here is how to avoid it, and what to do if it is already happening.

Before you book: seven checks that take ten minutes

  • Ask for the office address and go there, or ask someone you trust to visit. A company that cannot be visited is a phone number, not a mover.
  • Ask for the company name on the quote, and check that it matches the name on the receipt and on the bank account.
  • Get the quote in writing on WhatsApp or on letterhead, with the item list, floors, packing material, and the delivery address.
  • Ask what is not included: stairs, a second vehicle for narrow lanes, AC dismounting, storage, tolls. A good quote names these.
  • Pay a small advance only, into a company account or with a receipt. Never pay the full amount in cash before loading.
  • Ask for the truck number and the driver’s name and phone on loading day, before the truck leaves.
  • Search the company name with the word complaint or fraud, and read reviews that mention a real city and a real date.

A price far below every other quote is the biggest warning sign. A real house move needs a crew, cartons, wrap, fuel, and tolls. Someone has to pay for those. If it is not in the quote, it will be in a surprise bill. Our guide to why a moving quote changes on loading day explains which changes are fair and which are not.

If the mover is holding your goods for extra money

  • Stay calm and move the talk to writing. Ask on WhatsApp for the new amount, the reason, and a breakdown.
  • Ask where the goods are right now, with the truck number and the driver’s phone.
  • Compare the demand with the written quote. Extra floors or a second vehicle you asked for are fair. A new charge for nothing is not.
  • If you decide to pay to get your things back, pay in a traceable way and write in the message that you pay under protest and dispute the amount.
  • Save every chat, call log, payment slip, and photo of the truck.

If the mover threatens you, will not say where the goods are, or switches off the phone, go to the police station of the area where the goods were loaded, with the written quote and the chats. A consumer court complaint is also possible for a billing dispute without threats. Proof decides both, which is why the written quote matters from day one.

How Marsoos works, so you can compare

Marsoos has offices you can visit in Islamabad (G-9 Markaz), Lahore (C32 Jinnah Town), Karachi (23 W Wharf Road), Multan, and Bahawalpur. All addresses are on the office locations page. Quotes are written after a survey or a room video, and the advance is small. See how much to pay a mover before loading day. If anything is added on the day, it is agreed in writing before the truck leaves, not at the new gate.

House shifting: +92 312 6939758. International cargo: +92 333 5371111. Email info@marsoospackers.com.

Related pages

Similar Posts