Unfortunately, fraud and deception continue to plague the transportation industry. Criminals use many different methods to deceive brokers and carriers. Some claiming to be motor carriers pick up valuable freight for legitimate brokers and then steal the cargo. Others claiming to be brokers hire truckers to carry freight and then pocket the earnings without paying the drivers. Investigating and prosecuting these criminals can be very time-consuming and the victims of these crimes are often never compensated.
FreeFreightSearch.com, the world’s largest free load board, offers the following tips to help truckers avoid becoming victims of transportation fraud:
Research brokers and shippers
For starters, you can conduct an online search and make sure that the freight broker has an actual website, a working phone number, and a physical address. You may be able to also read reviews from past clients. Websites like Transport Reviews will give you more insights on freight brokers.
Check accreditations
You can research brokers on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website. If they are registered, the broker will have a USDOT number and often a Motor Carrier Authority (MC) number. You can check this by doing a search on this website.
Watch for unexpected deductions
If you have shared your bank account or credit card numbers with a broker or shipper, check your accounts frequently to make sure that extra funds are not deducted from your account without your knowledge.
Find out about payment history and costs
Most importantly, find out about brokers’ payment histories. Online credit bureaus typically charge a fee for proving you credit reports. However, you can find credit reports for thousands of freight brokers for free on FreeFreightSearch.com. This site is always free.
FreeFreightSearch.com
FreeFreightSearch.com provides its registered members a very valuable service to help combat transportation fraud: free credit reports for over 10,000 freight brokers. Once you’ve registered, you can click on “Credit Reports” and enter the name and state of the broker you’re researching. Right away you will see how long that broker takes to pay their motor carriers.
Besides providing free credit reports and industry advice on our blog, FreeFreightSearch.com also lets motor carriers post their trucks, search for loads, and receive email alerts when a load is posted that matches their trucks and locations. You can register on our free load board today.