Use a hand fork to dig out without disturbing your plants

As suggested hand fork out. Usually the result of poor drainage. Work in some sharp sand; horticultural grade if you have ericaceous subjects.

Moss usually appears in shadier, planted areas when the soil hasn't been cultivated for some time - fork it over, lightly.

I have a lot of 'pearlwort' which looks like moss, but isnt a true moss. It thrives on wet shady prts of my clay soil. I tend to scoop the whole lot up and dump it, soil and all. And whenever I get the chance, I add sand and grit and fork it in. Its a hard slog to get rid of it. But believe it or not, they use it in japanese gardens at Chelsea so now the garden centres have started selling it!