Fake Loads and Freight Fraud: How Truck Drivers Can Stay Safe

⏳ 5 min

Updated on April 10th, 2025

Fraudsters often target the trucking industry. They may use fake load scams, identity theft, payment fraud, and cargo theft. The rise of such fraudulent activities poses significant risks, such as lost revenue, legal disputes, and reputational damage.

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Table of Contents

What Happened? The 19,000 Fake Loads Scam
Risks for Truck Drivers
How to Spot a Fake Load Before You Accept It

Steps to Verify a Load’s Legitimacy

Benefits of Cooperating with a Reliable Dispatcher
What to Do If You Fall Victim to a Load Scam
Conclusion

As the industry continues to face these growing threats, it’s crucial for carriers to stay informed and take proactive steps to protect themselves from falling victim to fraudulent loads and scams.

What Happened? The 19,000 Fake Loads Scam

The trucking industry was hit by a massive fake load scam. On March 10, fraudsters posted 19,000 fake loads under the name of Total Quality Logistics (TQL) on the DAT load board. The loads listed fake contacts, redirecting carriers to the scammers. This scam tricked some trucking companies into accepting fraudulent shipments, causing mass chaos.

This case highlights the growing risks in the freight industry, where identity theft, freight fraud, and scammer tactics are becoming more sophisticated. Such activities cost the industry billions of dollars annually, putting legitimate carriers, brokers, and shippers at risk.

Falling into such a scam scheme can lead to delivering shipments without receiving payments or becoming a victim of double brokering schemes.

Trucking businesses and owner-operators should take preventative measures to avoid fraud. These can include verifying load board postings, checking freight broker credentials, and enforcing strict security protocols. Protecting sensitive information, staying connected to industry networks, and training employees to recognize fraudsters are also essential steps to avoid becoming a victim of fraudsters.

Risks for Truck Drivers

The fake loads scheme can pose significant risks for truck drivers and owner-operators. If a driver accepts a fraudulent load, they may face unpaid deliveries, financial losses, or even legal issues. This can lead to financial instability, especially for small trucking businesses that rely on consistent payment. In addition, these scams also put brokers and shippers at risk.

Here are the main risks trucking businesses may face:

Non-payment. Fraudulent brokers may not honor agreed-upon payments, leaving drivers without compensation. This is especially harmful to owner-operators and smaller companies that rely on consistent payments to keep their operations running.
Payment fraud. Fraudsters can act as fake carriers or brokers, collecting funds and disappearing before paying the legitimate trucking company. Thus, businesses may struggle to cover operational expenses, affecting financial stability.
Cargo theft. Unauthorized individuals pose as legitimate carriers to steal shipments and vanish. This often results in legal disputes, financial losses, and reputational damages to a carrier whose credentials were used. Shippers and brokers can refuse to work with a company or driver involved in a freight fraud case.
Double brokering. A scammer poses as a real carrier and re-brokers the load to hire a legitimate trucking business. In the end, a fraudster keeps the payment while the actual carrier remains unpaid. This can cause delays, missed deadlines, and contract violations.
Besides, in some cases, the carrier might unknowingly deliver the freight to another location, increasing the risk of freight theft.
Financial instability. Small trucking businesses or independent drivers can face financial strain from unpaid loads or payment delays. With tight margins, even a few unpaid loads can threaten a company’s ability to operate.
Reputation in the industry. becoming involved in scams, even as an unkowing victim, can make it difficult to secure fitire loads. Many brokers and shippers avoid working with companies that were linked to fraudulent transactions, even if they were not at fault.

The financial impact of these scams can be severe, costing the freight industry billions of dollars annually. In addition, falling victim to fraud can lead to operational disruptions, loss of trust in the logistics industry, and potential legal battles.

How to Spot a Fake Load Before You Accept It

With the rise of freight fraud, including fake load scams, cargo theft, and freight fraud, the logistics industry faces growing threats from fraudsters who exploit logistics networks for financial gain. Thus, trucking businesses must stay vigilant to avoid risks of falling into otherwise, truck drivers can face financial losses, be held liable for a stolen load, or face legal action.

Besides, fake carriers and fraudulent brokers can use tactics such as spoofed phone numbers, stolen DOT credentials, and fake websites to impersonate legitimate companies. This not only puts funds at risk but also threatens the reputation and stability of trucking businesses. By implementing security measures and following a structured verification process, carriers can significantly reduce their risk of being targeted by fraudsters.

Steps to Verify a Load’s Legitimacy

Step 1. Check the Broker’s Credentials

Verify the broker’s MC and DOT numbers on the FMCSA website to ensure they’re legitimate. Factors such as recent registration, multiple address changes, or a lack of online presence can be red flags.

Remember to confirm the broker is authorized to conduct freight transactions and check for any complaints against them.

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Step 2. Verify Contact Information

Always call the broker’s official phone number noted ion their website or FMCSA records. Be cautious if the broker uses generic emails instead of a company domain. A warning sign of potential fraud can be a broker avoiding providing their full contact details.

Step 3. Review Load Details Carefully

Compare the load rate with the market average. If it’s significantly higher than normal, it might be a scam.

Be cautious if the load has vague instructions, lacks clear paperwork, or has unexpected last-minute changes.

Step 4. Examine the Load Board Posting

Fake carriers often post the same load across multiple sites with slight variations in details. Look for inconsistencies in email domains, company names, and other details.

You should be suspicious of brokers who refuse to provide a carrier packet or avoid written confirmation.

Step 5. Confirm Payment Terms Before Hauling

Fraudulent brokers often promise quick payments or unusually high rates to attract trucking companies.

Always request a written rate confirmation before dispatching a truck, and never accept payment through unsecured methods.

Benefits of Cooperating with a Reliable Dispatcher

Partnering with a reliable dispatch company can help carriers avoid fraud risks and ensure secure and profitable operations. The freight industry is complex, and the risk of dealing with fake brokers, load board scams, and freight fraud is higher than ever. By working with a trusted dispatch service, truckers can focus on driving and deliveries rather than verifying brokers and tracking payments.

Cooperating with Logity Dispatch can help avoid fraudulent schemes, ensuring secure and profitable operations.

With us, you can benefit from:

Verified loads only. Logity Dispatch works with legitimate brokers and shippers, reducing the risk of fake load scams.
Industry expertise. Our team stays updated on the latest freight fraud tactics, helping carriers stay protected.
Financial security. We handle negotiations and paperwork, ensuring on-time payments and minimizing financial risks.
Time savings. Instead of spending hours verifying loads, owner-operators can focus on driving, while Logity Dispatch handles the details.

Join thousands of trucking companies and owner-operators who trust Logity Dispatch to keep their operations safe, efficient, and profitable. Reach out to us today and take your trucking business to the next level!

What to Do If You Fall Victim to a Load Scam

Despite taking precautions, you might still fall victim to a load scam. Fraudsters are becoming more skilled at deceiving trucking businesses and owner-operators with fake loads or payment fraud.

If you find yourself in such a situation, you should act quickly and systematically to minimize the damage.

Document everything. As soon as you realize you’ve been scammed, gather all related documents and evidence. This can include load details, rates, contact information, your route, communication logs, and any written agreements. Having detailed records will be crucial in proving your case to authorities and insurance companies.
Contact the broker. If you were in contact with a fraudulent broker, attempt to reach out to them. If they’re unreachable or the contact information is false, document that as well. In some cases, fraudsters may pose as legitimate brokers. Thus, reporting the scam to the real broker company can help prevent future problems.
Alert law enforcement. Cargo theft and fraudulent activities are serious crimes. Contact local law enforcement to report the incident and provide them with all the necessary documentation. In addition, report to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or any relevant transportation authority to ensure the scammer is flagged.
Notify your insurance provider. In cases where cargo theft is occurred or you’ve delivered a load that’s gione unpaid, contact your insurance provider. While it may be challenging to recover funds through cargo claims, your insurance policy may cover specific types of loss.
Report the scam to load boards and transportation industry networks. Report the fraudulent load to the load boards where you found the listing. This alerts others in the industry to the scam and helps prevent further incidents. If you’re a member of any industry networks or organizations, such as the National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) or American Trucking Associations (ATA), report the scam to them as well.

Conclusion

The rise of fraudulent activities in the trucking industry is an unfortunate reality that all carriers and owner-operators must confront. However, by staying vigilant and following the right verification steps, it is possible to avoid falling victim to scams and protect both your business and reputation.

Partnering with Logity Dispatch offers the added benefit of working with a trusted partner who can help you avoid scams, ensure secure payments, and streamline your operations. As the freight industry continues to evolve, staying informed and adopting the right security measures will help ensure that your business thrives, free from the risks of fraud.