That moving company with 500 five-star reviews might be worse than the one with 4.2 stars and 50 reviews. Understanding how to read moving company reviews—really read them—protects you from scams better than any license check. After analyzing thousands of reviews and their outcomes, here's how to decode what's real, what's fake, and what actually matters.
Spotting Fake Reviews Instantly
Dead giveaway phrases:
- "Best movers ever!!!"
- "Highly recommend to everyone"
- "10/10 would use again"
- "Professional and courteous"
- "Exceeded expectations"
Real people don't write like marketing brochures.
Fake review patterns:
- Posted in clusters (5 reviews same week)
- Similar writing style
- Generic without specifics
- Only 5-stars or 1-star
- Reviewer has no other reviews
- Stock photo profiles
Real reviews include:
- Specific crew names
- Actual moving details
- Minor complaints
- Time and cost mentioned
- Unique situations
- Photos of actual move
Example: "Jose and his team moved my 2-bedroom from Koreatown to Pasadena. Took 5 hours, slightly longer than estimated but they were careful with my grandmother's china."
Review Platforms Reliability
Google Reviews - MOST RELIABLEHardest to fake. Requires real accounts. Check reviewer's history.
Yelp - COMPLICATEDFilters reviews mysteriously. Hidden reviews often most honest. Check "not recommended" section.
Facebook - EASILY FAKEDLike farms create profiles. Check if reviewers have real friends/posts.
Better Business Bureau - OUTDATEDMostly complaints. A+ ratings bought. Not representative.
Angie's List/Thumbtack - PAY TO PLAYCompanies pay for placement. Reviews influenced by platform.
Moving.com - BROKER HEAVENFull of lead-generation scams. Avoid entirely.
Timeline Patterns That Reveal Truth
Legitimate pattern:
- Reviews spread over months/years
- Mix of 3, 4, and 5 stars
- Responses increase gradually
- Seasonal fluctuations
- Bad reviews addressed professionally
Scam pattern:
- Burst of 5-stars when opening
- Long gaps then sudden activity
- All extreme ratings (5s and 1s)
- No reviews during slow season
- Bad reviews ignored or attacked
Check review timing. Real companies have steady flow.
What Bad Reviews Really Tell You
Legitimate complaints:
- "Arrived 30 minutes late"
- "Took longer than estimated"
- "Minor scratch on table"
- "Crew seemed tired"
These happen. Shows honest customers.
Red flag complaints:
- "Held belongings hostage"
- "Price tripled on truck"
- "Different company showed up"
- "Cash only demanded"
Pattern of these = run away.
Company responses matter:Professional: "We apologize and have addressed this with our crew"Red flag: "This customer is lying" or no response
Review Math That Matters
Good distribution:
- 60% five-star
- 25% four-star
- 10% three-star
- 5% one/two-star
Too perfect (fake):
- 95% five-star
- 5% one-star
- Nothing in middle
Sweet spot:4.2-4.6 overall rating with 50+ reviews over 1+ year
Questions Reviews Should Answer
Practical details:
- Did they arrive on time?
- Was estimate accurate?
- How was communication?
- Any damage/issues?
- Hidden fees?
- Would use again?
Missing these details = suspicious
Vague praise:"Great job!" tells you nothing"Amazing service!" marketing speak"Highly professional!" meaningless
Specific feedback:"Wrapped each dish individually""Disassembled bed, reassembled perfectly""Charged exactly as quoted: $647"
Reading Between Lines
"They were okay" = Actually goodPeople complain easily, praise rarely. Neutral often means satisfactory.
"Pricey but worth it" = Quality serviceAcknowledges cost, still recommends. Honest assessment.
"Not the cheapest" = Probably reliableCheap movers get "great price!" reviews before disasters.
"Took longer than expected" = NormalEvery move takes longer. Honest review acknowledges reality.
Verified Review Indicators
Real details include:
- Weather conditions ("Hot day, crew stayed hydrated")
- Building specifics ("Navigated my narrow stairs carefully")
- Neighborhood mentions ("Parking in Santa Monica was tough")
- Actual dates/times
- Crew personalities
- Specific challenges
Never trust:
- All caps reviews
- Multiple exclamation points
- Marketing language
- Copied/pasted responses
- Reviews defending company aggressively
Industry-Specific Red Flags
Broker language:"Connected me with great movers""Arranged everything perfectly""Coordinator was helpful"
Real movers don't have "coordinators."
Damage control reviews:Sudden five-stars after bad review. Often from "employees" or paid reviewers.
Review farming signs:Reviewers from different states. Moving companies are local/regional.
How Fake Reviews Actually Work
Purchase methods:
- Fiverr: $5 per review
- Click farms: $50 for 10 reviews
- Review exchanges: Trade reviews
- Employee pressure: Write or fired
- Customer incentives: Discount for 5-stars
Why it works:Most people don't investigate. Algorithm boosts high ratings. First page Google ranking.
Your Review Investigation Process
Step 1: Check overall rating distribution
Step 2: Read 10 most recent reviews
Step 3: Read all 1-2 star reviews
Step 4: Check reviewer profiles
Step 5: Look for response patterns
Step 6: Search company name + "scam"
Step 7: Verify license separately
Total time: 15 minutes. Prevents disaster.
What Actually Matters
Focus on:
- Damage handling
- Hidden fee mentions
- Arrival reliability
- Estimate accuracy
- Communication quality
Ignore:
- "Best ever" claims
- Perfect ratings
- Marketing speak
- Extreme opinions
- Anonymous reviews
Writing Helpful Reviews
After your move, include:
- Crew names
- Actual costs
- Time taken
- Any issues
- How resolved
- Specific positives
- Would you rehire?
Help others like reviews helped you.
Trust Your Gut
Perfect reviews = imperfect company usually. Real businesses have real problems occasionally. Look for companies that handle problems well, not those claiming perfection.
SOS Moving encourages checking our reviews everywhere. We respond professionally to criticism, thank customers for praise, and let our work speak through specific, detailed customer experiences.
Call 909-443-0004 after reading our reviews. Ask about specific concerns from reviews. Honest companies discuss feedback openly.
.jpg)
