Posted by MReed in 
When you say the work ‘hacker’ people think of computers, but trucking companies are being hacked, too. The way that people do this is to hack into the government’s Website list of trucking companies that are legal and approved. They replace the phone number and address of the legitimate company with a fake one and they take the calls and arrange to deliver the loads. Then they contract with a real trucker to deliver. After deliver they get paid, they pocket the cash, and they disappear.
Some Russian immigrants did this not too long ago, and it took them three years to get caught! They made around $500,000 during that time and they seemed to assume that no one was ever going to find out what they were doing.
By not paying their contractors, though, too many people were wondering what was going on a little too often. This was especially true when the legitimate truckers went to the company they thought they had delivered for and tried to get payment.
Investigators uncovered $2.4 MILLION DOLLARS in FRAUD, of which 1.4 million have been recovered. The “two-faced” imposters are to be sentenced in June and each of them face lengthy sentences. Case closed.
Simultaneously, after a few deceptive phone calls and faxes, truckers, carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, shippers, consignees and consignors are hit n one shot.
I wonder if the $2.4 Million includes lost revenues and costs incurred by the victims. Bet not.
Another list of potential victms come to mind. Forklift and crane operators, un/loading companies, buyers, warehouses, farmers, insurance providers, etc. Oh and let’s not forget the farmers, manufacturers, loggers, dairies, exports/imports…and then of course the banks and lending institutions.
Consumers and taxpayers end up paying in the end don’t they? Wait, that’s me, again!
Before giving/accepting a load from a company, you gotta check them out. It is now recommended to check the company’s information(ie. phone#, fax#, name spelling, agent name, validity of insurance, etc) WITH A TRUSTED SOURCE.
Who would that be? DOT, Not. SOS? Company website? He!! NO!
Anyway, is the trucking industry the next bailout?
How about after that? Back to work?
What do you think happens when a trucker:
1. drives 4-7 (10-11hr) days,3,000+ miles
2. while getting 5-6 miles per gallon after
3. paying $4-5 for each and every gallon
4. incurs other costs/taxes/expenses daily
5. And, he expects payment yet only gets excuses, He’s lucky if his calls are even answered, ever.
What’s a guy gonna do he’s already paid $2-3,000 cash just in fuel alone, it’s now been a month and he’s under another load, couldn’t afford to drive empty to go find out exacty what’s up. What’s the monetary limits in small claims court these days? Not enough.
Who do you think he is going to blame, file claims against, and share a few choice words about? Probably, not the imposter but the name of who he thinks he took the load from.
At the same time as all this is happening a broker has a load to move for his customer. He then contracts carrier/trucker to haul the load under specific terms and payment conditions. He calls the shipper who confirms loading the truck. Next thing he knows he’s cnfronted with an angry call demanding payment prior to delivery at least part of it anyway. He calls trucking company main office number to see if this guy i for real or what. He’s lucky if his call even gets answered ever. Who does he blame? Who does he tell? His Customer? Uh might have to.
This guy is relentless, extremely annoying, calling every 10-15 minutes or so.
Guess who gets to pay this scam artist out of his own pocket and then pray and hope and maybe even beg the guy fulfills his end of the bargain and delivers the darn freight.
Guess what happens………………….
Long story short, lol. How did you like the ride because we all have been on it for a long time. can relationships mend, be trusted, ar there more people like those two doing similar crimes against us all?
Tell me, who/what we can trust?
Of course, i’ll check it out. I have to.
This is the land of the free, not freebies.
FRAUD PHOBIC (FOREVER?)