Trucking News · Nationwide · November 5, 2026

Freight Fraud Shift: Criminals Target Trucking Companies' Identities, and Cyber Schemes Made Up 52% of One Firm's Stolen-Load Cases in September

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Criminals looking to steal freight are increasingly using the identities of established trucking companies instead of creating fake ones, according to The Trucker, which covered a session at the Women In Trucking Association's 2026 Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas.

The numbers

Brittany Graft, chief operating officer of freight verification company Highway, presented company data. Cyber-related schemes accounted for 52% of stolen-load investigations reported to Highway in September 2026, direct theft for 46% and changes in carrier ownership for 2%, The Trucker reports. Those figures reflect cases reported to Highway, not the freight industry as a whole.

The company's third-quarter data also showed its systems blocked 670,230 fraudulent inbound emails and 119,022 fraudulent or spoofed phone calls.

A carrier's identity as the target

Graft said criminals may offer carriers thousands of dollars for access to their business identities without any interest in buying trucks or equipment. The draw is the carrier's reputation and relationships with freight brokers, which can help a criminal get loads a new, unfamiliar company could not.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) warned in a March 2026 bulletin that carriers should not sell, buy or lease USDOT or MC numbers outside legitimate corporate transactions, The Trucker reports. Related: how stolen MC numbers and fake carriers are used in cargo theft. Operating authority cannot simply be sold or leased as a standalone commodity.

When email is the weak link

Phishing messages that appear to come from trusted partners can lead to fake login pages. Once inside an email account, Graft described how criminals can read rate confirmations, delete the originals before the real recipient sees them, and arrange to collect freight while posing as the carrier.

One attendee described a load that was picked up and delivered while the carrier whose numbers were used, a small Michigan operation, denied any involvement. The case had not been resolved.

Steps carriers can take

Graft's recommendations, as reported by The Trucker:

• Turn on multifactor authentication, and use passkeys or authenticator apps where available instead of text-message codes.
• Do not share logins; give each employee or contractor their own account.
• Never give out verification codes, even to a caller who claims to be a partner.
• Do not trust caller ID or contact details in a suspicious message; call back on a verified number.
• Avoid sending rate confirmations as unsecured email attachments.
• Ask the phone provider about protections against unauthorized SIM changes or number transfers.

What it means for truckers

For small carriers and owner-operators, protecting email accounts and operating authority may matter as much as protecting the truck and the freight. A load that is delivered by an impostor can still leave the real carrier answering questions from brokers and customers.

Quick facts

• Cyber schemes: 52% of September cases reported to Highway.
• Direct theft: 46%. Ownership changes: 2%.
• Blocked in Q3: 670,230 emails and 119,022 calls.
• FMCSA: do not sell or lease USDOT or MC numbers as standalone commodities.

FAQ

Can a carrier sell its MC number?

FMCSA says operating authority cannot be sold or leased as a standalone commodity, though some legitimate business sales are allowed.

What is the simplest protection?

Graft named multifactor authentication on email and business accounts as among the most important steps.

A question for readers

Truckers and small carriers, has anyone ever offered to buy or borrow your authority?

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