As freight fraud becomes more sophisticated, and increasingly costly for shippers, it doesn’t always look like fraud. A fraudulent carrier, altered contact information, or misdirected shipment can appear legitimate until it’s too late.
According to CargoNet, estimated cargo theft losses reached nearly $725 million in 2025, a 60% increase from the previous year. The average value of a theft also increased 36%, as organized criminal groups increasingly targeted higher-value freight.
Bad actors continue to find new ways to exploit vulnerabilities, including impersonating legitimate carriers, using stolen company information, manipulating contact details, and misdirecting shipments, which makes fraud prevention about more than simply checking a carrier’s name or credentials. It requires ongoing verification, visibility, and attention to the details that may signal something isn’t right.
A few potential red flags that deserve a closer look:
- Last-minute changes to pickup, delivery, equipment, or driver information
- Contact information that doesn’t match established records
- Communication from an unfamiliar email address or phone number
- Requests to bypass normal procedures or make an exception
- Pressure to make a quick decision without the usual verification
None of these automatically indicate fraud, but they are reasons to pause and verify. When something changes, confirm it using established contact information rather than relying solely on what’s provided in a new message. A few extra minutes spent verifying information can prevent a much bigger problem down the road. And, having a transportation partner with the right processes, technology, and people in place adds another layer of protection to your supply chain.
At Fetch Freight, fraud prevention is built into our transportation process. Our team uses leading-edge technology, ongoing monitoring, and human oversight to identify red flags and respond when something doesn’t look right. It’s a combination of technology, process, and people designed to help protect your freight before, during, and after pickup.