Cargo Thieves Steal Carrier Names
Carriers beware: somebody out there may be using your name. According to The Transportation Intermediaries Assn., this latest cargo theft scheme involves "fake truckers" who claim to be working out of new branch offices of existing trucking companies. They call brokers to inquire about specific loads, using cell phones and office services to make the operation seem legitimate. Paperwork is faxed to the number given. Drivers, often in a vehicle bearing the trucking company name, pick up the load and disappear.
One broker, responding anonymously to warnings in the TIA Update, said they were victims of the scam eight months ago. They verified the trucking company's operating authority and insurance through the U.S. Department of Transportation's SAFER system, intended primarily to provide safety information on registered carriers. Paperwork, faxed to a number given them by the caller, was signed by someone claiming to be the company president.
The driver notified them when he had picked up the load, reported in daily until he called to tell them the load had been delivered — no doubt to stall an investigation. Two weeks later the broker still hadn't received the paperwork. The driver's cell phone number was no longer in service. They discovered that the fax number belonged to a mailbox center.
One month after the load was picked up, the shipper reported that it had never been delivered. The broker obtained a credit report, called the trucking company's headquarters, and was told they'd never heard of the person who signed the papers. Moreover, they're a flatbed carrier and the load was refrigerated. The broker is now stuck with a $45,000 claim.
Special Agent Ken Golec of the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the scam isn't new. The U.S. Attorney's office is investigating a group working out of the southeast who allegedly stole two refrigerated loads of food product in 1999 and possibly several loads since. Similar groups may be operating in other areas of the country.
The USDA's primary concern is food safety, he told HDT. The thefts often involve products that must be properly cared for to avoid contamination - one trailer load of bad meat can make a lot of people sick.
TIA is cautioning its members to make sure they know exactly who they're dealing with before giving anyone a load, and to call a trucking company's known offices to verify new people or information. Golec said the USDA would like to be notified of any suspicious activity involving food shipments (404-730-3170 ext. 237). Carriers who suspect foul play should also notify the local police.
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