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Cargo theft is no longer limited to criminals cutting a trailer seal or stealing an unattended vehicle. Modern cargo crime increasingly involves identity theft, fraudulent carrier accounts, compromised email addresses, fake rate confirmations, altered delivery instructions, and the impersonation of legitimate transportation companies.
A criminal may never physically approach a shipment until a legitimate shipper, broker, or driver has already been deceived into sending it to the wrong location. That means cargo security must begin before a load is booked and continue throughout the shipment.
CargoNet recorded 767 supply-chain crime events in the United States and Canada during the first quarter of 2026. Although total incident volume declined from the previous year, estimated losses remained approximately $131.58 million. CargoNet also recorded 596 confirmed cargo-theft reports—41 more than in the first quarter of 2025.
The figures suggest that criminal organizations are becoming more selective and sophisticated. Rather than stealing any available trailer, organized groups may target specific commodities that can be sold quickly through online or international resale channels.
CargoNet also warned that criminal networks are acquiring or exploiting legitimate motor-carrier identities. This makes a carrier appear valid during an initial database search even though the person communicating with the broker may not represent that carrier.
Carrier verification is often treated as a one-time step performed during onboarding. In today’s environment, it should be a continuing chain of confirmation.
Before releasing a shipment, brokers and shippers should confirm that the email address, telephone number, dispatcher, driver, truck, trailer, pickup number, and destination all match the information supplied through official company channels. Unexpected changes should be independently reconfirmed rather than accepted through the same email or telephone number requesting the change.
A request to change the delivery address after pickup should receive especially careful review. The shipper, broker, carrier, and authorized receiving location should all confirm the instruction before the freight is redirected.
Common warning signs include last-minute changes in driver or equipment information, communication from a free or slightly altered email domain, unexplained urgency, resistance to telephone verification, unusual payment instructions, inconsistent caller identification, and delivery directions that do not match the bill of lading.
No single warning sign automatically proves fraud. However, several inconsistencies appearing together should cause the shipment to be paused until all parties complete independent verification.
Drivers also play an essential security role. They should know who is authorized to change delivery instructions and should never follow an unfamiliar person, text message, or email to an alternate facility without contacting dispatch.
Effective cargo security combines people, procedures, and technology. GPS visibility can help identify unauthorized route deviations, but tracking alone is not enough. Companies also need controlled access to transportation systems, strong passwords, multifactor authentication, employee fraud awareness, documented escalation procedures, and accurate records of every material shipment change.
Successor Inc. requires brokers and partners to verify loads through the company’s official communication channels. Unverified messages from individuals claiming to represent the company should not be relied upon. Official verification is available through the Successor Inc. dispatch and safety contacts published on our website.
A few additional minutes of verification can prevent a shipment from being placed into the hands of an impersonator. In a market where freight fraud is increasingly digital, trust should always be supported by confirmation.