Leah Moore and her husband, Colby Nichols, assumed they would be in their new Chicago home in time for dinner. Why would they think otherwise? All their belongings were in boxes, they had little furniture and they were moving only a few miles away.

They were wrong. When the movers arrived, they spent the morning packing and unpacking the truck. Then, they took four hours to get to the new house. When they finally did arrive, they refused to unload the truck unless they were paid $1,300 in cash — $800 more than the original quote.

The couple refused to pay more than $500 and called the owner of the moving company for help. He told them to pay or risk losing their things. Afraid the cost would go up even more if they waited, they agreed to pay. Early the next morning, with broken glass picture frames, smashed wedding china, scraped walls and broken molding, the move was over.

“We were totally taken for a ride,” said Moore, whose husband relied solely on the mover’s Web site and license information. “You really have to go the extra mile and do real research, like local licenses and insurance coverage, not reviews on Yahoo.”

Some Americans think the process of choosing a moving company is as easy as picking up a phone or trolling online for a price quote. While the moving industry has long been a target for con artists because of lax regulation, consumers’ growing reliance on the Internet has made it even easier for the shady operators. Movers regularly appear among the top complaints many state attorneys general and Better Business Bureaus receive.

Consumers should not expect much protection from most states or the federal government. While some states, like Florida and Maryland, have strong rules protecting consumers for intrastate moves, many do not. And oversight is minimal at the federal level.

The American Moving and Storage Association, a trade group that represents interstate movers, said that research has become even more important and can spell the difference between a good and bad experience. While the Internet can be a good research tool, it should not be relied on exclusively. Web sites can be misleading and can make a mover appear reputable when it may not be.

“These guys are smooth talkers and they’ll tell you what you want to hear,” said Tim Walker, who founded movingscam.com after his belongings were held hostage during a cross-country move. “Make sure you’re not just going on their word.”

Walker suggested checking the phone book and asking friends and relatives for recommendations. Real estate agents can also be a good resource. Find at least three local moving companies and set up appointments for in-home estimates, he said. Telephone and Internet quotes, as Moore discovered, are notoriously inaccurate because room sizes and furnishings vary widely.

“Rogue movers can be hard to spot,” Tom Joyce, a spokesman for the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. “They often give low-ball estimates over the phone or Internet without ever visiting your home or seeing the items you want to move.”

A representative from a legitimate moving company should visit your house, take a complete inventory, approximate the weight of your belongings and provide a written estimate, said Linda Bauer Darr, the president of the moving and storage association. These can take one of three forms: binding not to exceed, binding and nonbinding. With a binding-not-to-exceed estimate, a consumer only pays the amount quoted, never more. If the weight of their household goods is less than the estimate, you pay less.

In a binding estimate, you only pay the amount of the written estimate. A consumer pays the full amount of the estimate, plus up to 10 percent extra if their household goods are heavier than expected. This amount is due on the day of delivery, with the balance due within 30 days.

Do not pick a mover based solely on price, Bauer Darr said. Read an estimate closely and make sure which services and fees are included. When prices vary drastically, many things, like moving pads and boxes, are not included. A mover, she said, should also include a copy of the federal government’s booklet, “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” which gives tips on selecting a mover.

“We’re finding the temptation for people is to get this done quickly at the lowest price,” Bauer Darr said. “If you go with a low-baller, God bless you and good luck.”