Freight market fraud is on the rise, with transportation professionals reporting an increase in double brokering, the practice whereby thieves falsely identify themselves as legitimate truckers in order to access freight or intercept loads. And that’s just one of the many types of fraud out there. A survey commissioned by freight-matching firm Truckstop found that in addition to double brokering (reported by 90% of respondents), freight brokers are also seeing a jump in stolen loads (28%), identity theft (23%), and stolen payments (15%).
Now the New Plymouth, Idaho-based company is fighting back. To raise awareness of the problem, Truckstop has launched a weekly blog series focused on fraud in the freight industry as well as preventive measures. Dubbed “Fraud Prevention Friday,” the series began on May 19 on the company’s social channels, with the aim of sharing tips and best practices as well as insights from customer research and surveys.
“Fraud is a serious problem that affects both brokers and carriers, and it continues to escalate as the market experiences significant fluctuations,” Julia Laurin, Truckstop’s chief product officer, said in a release. “Through product offerings like RMIS [the company’s carrier-monitoring solution] and informative resources such as Fraud Prevention Friday, Truckstop is empowering those in the freight transportation industry with the tools they need to help combat fraud in their business.”
