Guide to Spotting Freight Scams

In the trucking industry, your biggest enemy isn’t traffic or fuel prices—it’s fraud. Scammers target new carriers because they know you are hungry for loads and might skip the due diligence.

At CarrierNet, we believe you shouldn’t have to be a detective to get paid. This guide breaks down the most common scams targeting new authorities and gives you a simple checklist to protect your business.

Scam #1: The Double Broker (The “Ghost” Load)

This is the #1 threat to new carriers.

How it works:

• The Setup: A legitimate shipper posts a load for $2,000.

• The Middleman: A scammer (pretending to be a carrier) books the load.

• The Trap: The scammer re-posts the same load on a load board for $1,800, pretending to be a broker.

• The Victim (You): You book the load from the scammer, pick it up, and deliver it.

• The Result: The scammer gets paid $2,000 by the shipper and disappears. You never get paid. The shipper refuses to pay you because they already paid the scammer.

🚩 The Red Flags

• The “Broker” has a Gmail/Yahoo email address: Legitimate brokers use company domains (e.g., [email protected], not [email protected]).

• The Rate is too good to be true: If a lane normally pays $2.00/mile and they offer $3.50/mile with no negotiation, be suspicious.

• They rush you: “We need a driver NOW, just sign the rate con and go.”

• The “Blind Shipment”: They tell you not to talk to the shipper or receiver about rates.

 

Scam #2: The Identity Theft (The Fake MC)

Scammers will sometimes steal the identity of a reputable broker to trick you.

How it works: They use the real name and MC number of a big broker (like C.H. Robinson) but change the contact info on the rate confirmation sheet.

🚩 The Red Flags

• The contact number doesn’t match official records.
  
  Take a quick look on the FMCSA SAFER site or the broker’s official website.

If the phone number on your rate confirmation doesn’t match — or routes to a personal cell phone — slow down and verify before hauling.

Legitimate brokers use published company numbers.

• The rate confirmation looks poorly formatted or blurry.
  
  Scammers often copy logos from the internet and paste them into fake paperwork.

If the logo looks pixelated, the formatting looks rushed, or the document doesn’t match what you normally see from that broker, it’s worth double-checking before you haul.

It’s better to pause than to haul a load you may never get paid for.

 

Scam #3: The Fuel Advance Trap

This targets carriers who are low on cash.

How it works: A “broker” offers a generous fuel advance (40-50%) via EFS code or Cash App before you even pick up the load.

The Trap: They send you a fake check or a code that eventually bounces or gets flagged as fraud. By the time the bank reverses the transaction, you’ve already spent the money on fuel, putting your account in the negative.

🚩 The Red Flags

• They want to pay you through Cash App, Zelle, Venmo, or other person-to-person apps. Real brokers pay via ACH, Check, or established Fuel Advance systems.

Personal payment apps are a major warning sign.

• They ask for your online banking login to “help deposit the check for you.” Never share this. No legitimate broker will ever ask for your banking login.

If anyone does, walk away immediately.

• They can’t clearly explain how and when you will be paid. A legitimate broker can quickly tell you their payment method, average days-to-pay, and whether they offer quick-pay options.

If something feels rushed, vague, or too good to be true, pause.

It’s better to park the truck for a day than to haul a load you’ll never get paid for.

 

Your 3-Step Protection Checklist

Before you ever turn your key for a new broker, follow these three steps.

1. Check the “Days to Pay”

Look up the broker on a credit board or factoring portal.

• Safe: 30-40 days average.

• Danger: 60+ days or “No Data.” (No Data usually means they are a brand new shell company).

No Data” often means the broker is brand new — and brand-new accounts are where most payment issues and scams happen.

 

2. Verify the Contact Info

Don’t rely only on the phone number listed on the rate confirmation.

• Go to the FMCSA SAFER website

• Search the broker’s MC number

• Use the official phone number listed there

Call that number and ask for the person who booked the load.

If they don’t work there, pause and verify before hauling.

 

3. Let Us Check For You (The Easy Way)

• Call us with the broker’s MC number.
  
  We run credit checks all day long and will tell you right away whether it’s Approved or Do Not Haul.

• When we approve a broker, we assume the credit risk, if they go under, we take the loss, not you.
  
  That’s the protection of non-recourse factoring.

 

The Bottom Line

If your gut tells you something is off, listen to it. It is better to park the truck for a day than to work for free for a week.

Need a broker check right now? Call our credit team at (605) 306-4111. We’ll help you verify if they are safe before you haul.