Fake Freight Broker Scam Targets $273K Seafood Load

What happened

A fake freight broker scam almost cost a carrier a $273,000 load of seafood. CDLLife reported the case on Oct. 7.

On Oct. 3, someone pretending to be the freight broker called and texted a truck driver. The caller told the driver to take part of the load to Porete Avenue in North Arlington, New Jersey. There, it would be moved to another vehicle.

The load was 29,000 pounds of frozen seafood: shrimp, salmon, conch meat and branzino. It was worth more than $273,000.

Someone reported suspicious cargo activity. North Arlington police went to the spot. They found two people moving seafood pallets from the reefer trailer into a box truck. Police stopped the transfer and arrested two people, one of them a juvenile.

Police found that the person giving the orders had nothing to do with the real broker. He was only pretending to work for that company. The charges include theft by deception and false representation.

What it means for owner-operators

This scam did not need a break-in. It only needed a phone and a driver who believed the voice on the other end.

Thieves study real loads. They know the broker's name, the shipper and the delivery. Then they call or text with a "change of plans." A new address, a "quick transfer" or a rush to move the freight are all red flags.

If a load disappears this way, the trouble does not stop with the freight. There can be claims, disputes with the shipper and the broker, and days without income. Proving what happened is much easier when you followed clear steps.

What to do next

• Never change a delivery because of a call or text alone. Hang up and call the broker back using the number on your rate confirmation, not the number that called you.
• Get any change in writing from the broker's real email.
• Be careful with transfers. A request to move freight to another truck in a parking lot or on a side street is a big warning sign.
• Keep records. Save texts, call logs and photos of the seal and the load.
• Call the police if something feels wrong. Here, a report stopped the theft.
• Know your cargo coverage. Our trucking insurance coverage guide explains the main types in plain words.

A two-minute call back can save a whole load.