The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning businesses and the public about a growing trend in cyber-enabled cargo theft schemes targeting the transportation and logistics industries.

Criminals are using spoofed emails, fake websites, and compromised company accounts to impersonate legitimate brokers and carriers. These scams are designed to steal high-value shipments by rerouting cargo from its intended destination for resale.

According to the FBI, cargo theft losses in the United States and Canada reached nearly $725 million in 2025 – a 60% increase from the previous year.

Here in Alabama, trucking leaders, along with other state trucking associations (STAs), through the Trucking Association Executive Council (TAEC), introduced a comprehensive plan to identify and eliminate bad actors from the trucking industry, called the Fight for Fairness & Safety: Paving the Way for a Trucking Resurgence. The plan seeks to remove bad actors and prevent others like them from entering the industry in the first place. Part of the plan is to prevent scammers and fraudsters from gaining official access by exploiting loopholes and oversight by regulatory agencies with changing DOT numbers and CDLs obtained fraudulently.

Common warning signs include:

• Emails using fake or slightly altered company domains
• Requests to download documents from suspicious or shortened links
• Unexpected shipment requests or load assignments
• Phone numbers linked to temporary VOIP services
• Unauthorized changes to a company contact or account information

To protect your business:

• Verify shipment requests and pickup information before releasing cargo
• Use multi-step verification for all freight transactions
• Avoid clicking suspicious links or downloading unexpected documents
• Carefully review email addresses and website URLs for minor spelling changes
• Maintain records of drivers, vehicles, license plates, DOT numbers, and communications related to shipments

Businesses are encouraged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately.