Freight fraud surged last year, with more than US$455 million in reported losses tied to theft, double brokering, and impersonation scams, according to Truckstop’s 2024 Freight Fraud Report.
The report reveals that 65,000 thefts recorded last year last year, representing a 40% increase from 2023. Nearly half (46%) of all thefts occurred in three states: California, Texas, and Illinois. Though, in an email to TruckNews.com, Truckstop said that there is no geographical discernment since fraud comes from all over the world trying to access the U.S. freight market.
The scams are becoming more sophisticated, with online impersonation tactics and fake carrier schemes increasingly targeting small fleets. Double brokering activity has soared by as much as 400% in certain regions, the report says, worsening operational challenges for both brokers and carriers.
Fraud continues to be a top concern for industry stakeholders. Truckstop found that 78% of brokers identified fraud as one of the most time-consuming issues in their operations. Meanwhile, 65% reported significant productivity losses due to fraud-related disruptions, and nearly a quarter cited legal complications as a major concern. Many of these scams now originate online, with impersonation tactics fooling even experienced operators, Truckstop says.
Truckstop has taken a multi-layered approach to fraud prevention. In 2024, the company says it blocked 12,768 suspicious attempts to onboard and create an RMIS account, and 9,984 suspicious attempts were blocked from accessing the Truckstop load board. The company is also currently monitoring more than 70,000 entities flagged for suspicious or fraudulent activity through its Assurance system.
These efforts seem to be yielding results. In January 2025, customer-reported fraud dropped by 45% compared to the same month in 2024. Truckstop credits this decline to its expanded use of identity verification tools, enhanced multi-factor authentication, and ongoing collaboration with the FBI’s Major Theft Organization.
