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While most transactions in the movement of cars go smoothly, scams often lie in wait. From phishing attempts to double brokering and identity theft, dispatchers, drivers and small-fleet owners aren’t immune to scammers probing for weak links. The good news: Carriers already have the necessary tactics and tools to fight back.

Using this six-step guide, everyone from drivers to back-office workers can spot red flags, respond with confidence and safeguard against fraud.

Step 1: Know What You’re Up Against

Fraud tactics evolve fast in auto transport, but certain scams show up time and again:

• Phishing and Hacking: Scammers can clone dispatch systems or load-board login pages or send fake links that compromise user and company credentials.
• Identity Theft: Fraudsters pose as legitimate carriers to steal loads and/or vehicles.
• Double Brokering: Bad actors often book loads and offload to unknowing third parties.
• Stolen Vehicles: Shipments are stolen but are misrepresented/disguised as late deliveries.
• Nonpayment: Predatory operations exploit small carriers with vague contracts or a refusal to pay.

Step 2: Look Out for Red Flags

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Awareness is your strongest line of defense. From drivers to dispatchers, train your team to identify common warning signs, like unverified accounts, suspicious requests or sudden silence from a partner. Other red flags to look for:

• Brokers with no transport track record or inconsistent contact details.
• New companies with high, but suspiciously coordinated, reviews.
• Sudden delivery address changes, especially after a vehicle pickup.
• Communication blackouts, especially when high-value vehicles are en route.

Step 3: Act Before Bad Actors Strike

Carriers have the power to prevent fraud by making a few simple shifts, such as using unique logins for every platform and tool. It’s critical that companies protect login credentials and regularly prompt employees to update their passwords. And before accepting loads, verify broker and shipper insurance coverage, W-9s and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration registration.

To aid with this process, an auto transport platform that enforces identity verification and offers users tools to flag suspicious activity can be used.

Step 4: Keep Calm and Respond in the Moment

If you suspect or confirm fraud, stay calm and take swift action to regain control of the situation.

Internally, start with informing necessary team members and freeze all compromised accounts. Document everything you can. Take screenshots of chats, track down rate cons and collect anything that could be used as evidence. Then, notify all your stakeholders, including the shipper, insurance and, if a vehicle is stolen, local police. A report to the shipping platform’s fraud investigation team should also be filed.

Step 5: Review, Report and Reinforce

You can’t completely undo the impacts of fraud in auto transport, but you can potentially minimize damage and prevent becoming a repeat victim.

Always report fraud to your auto transport platform and consider reaching out to law enforcement too. In doing so, you can help identify patterns and bad actors. Internally, identify how the breach occurred and whether weak processes, outdated systems or predictable passwords played a role. Then, update your company’s fraud protocols and train your team accordingly to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Step 6: Secure Partners Dedicated to Fraud Prevention

When selecting auto shipping partners and platforms, look for those with fraud-fighting tools dedicated to preventing harm. Ask these questions:

• Are they committed to verifying users on their platform?
• Do they have a dedicated fraud investigation team and specialist(s)?
• Are there transparent rating systems that allow for fraud flagging?
• Do they openly communicate, preserve data and provide visibility?

Final Thoughts

Scammers in auto transport are getting smarter by the day, but carriers can put up a fight. Carriers that stay vigilant, verify their partners and act quickly when red flags arise are best positioned to protect their reputation, their cargo and their bottom line.

is a fraud investigation specialist at , an automotive transportation management platform.

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