Methods of operation of fraudsters

How Fraudsters Operate in the Transport Industry

“Si vis pacem, para bellum” – “If you want peace, prepare for war.”

In today’s world, running any kind of business often resembles waging war – or several wars at once. There’s the battle for customers, the struggle with complex legal regulations (and their interpretation by authorities), and, at times, direct confrontation with the state itself – such as in cases of unjust asset seizures worth millions at the request of foreign entities.

For transport and forwarding companies, one of the major battles in recent years has been the fight against a surge in fraud, ranging from:

• Invoice scams that result in financial losses,
• Transport services being obtained with no intention of payment,
• To outright theft of shipments, with victims later forced to pay high compensation.

Years of industry experience confirm that many of these frauds could have been prevented if proper verification procedures had been in place.
However, effective prevention starts with awareness of the risks, and with knowledge of what can be checked and how.

To conduct meaningful due diligence and minimize the risk of falling victim to fraud, you must first understand the methods fraudsters use. Without this insight, it becomes difficult to detect or prevent such actions – or at the very least, to identify fraud attempts as they occur.

A Realistic Scenario: How a Fraud Might Play Out

Let’s imagine a group of fraudsters planning to steal cargo – a product known as “nothing special”, valued at €200,000. This product is manufactured by a Polish company “NS” near Warsaw and is commonly exported across Europe via road transport.

Here are five typical strategies fraudsters may use to obtain the goods:

1. Direct Purchase Fraud (False Buyer Scheme)
   1. The fraudsters contact company “NS” directly and place an order for the goods – but never intend to pay. They often impersonate reputable, legitimate companies, giving the impression of credibility.
      As a result, they easily obtain goods on deferred payment terms. In some cases, multiple full truckloads are dispatched before the scam is detected.
2. Impersonation at the Delivery Point
   1. Scammers pose as employees of the recipient by wearing uniforms similar to those used at the warehouse and wait for the driver near the loading bay.
      They intercept the truck and falsely claim that the cargo must be redirected to another location due to a lack of storage space at the original destination.
3. Fraudulent Freight Forwarder (Fake Middleman Scheme)
   1. Scammers act as a transport intermediary and accept a transport order from the legitimate freight forwarder handling “NS”.
      They then subcontract the job to a real carrier, but change the delivery address to a parking lot or a warehouse rented by the scammers.This redirection may occur:
      • Immediately in the order, by providing a false delivery address, or
      • Mid-transport, using updated delivery instructions.

      To reduce suspicion, scammers may first pass the order through another forwarding company, giving the real carrier the illusion that instructions are legitimate.

4. Fake Carrier With Forged Documents
   1. Fraudsters pretend to be an actual carrier. They arrive at the pickup point with falsified driver and vehicle documents, collect the cargo – and it never reaches the intended recipient.
5. Inside Job – Fraudulent Driver Employment
   1. A scammer is hired as a driver using forged personal documents. Once entrusted with a shipment, they steal the vehicle (tractor and trailer) along with the goods.

Not All That Glitters Is Gold: The Illusion of Legitimacy

Scammers may either:

• Impersonate real companies (using stolen or illegally obtained documents), or
• Operate actual registered businesses, created via front men or bought from previous owners.

Having:

• A valid license,
• Paid insurance policy,
• Access to transport exchanges,
• And even communication via official platforms,
  is not a guarantee of honest intentions.

Even successfully completing previous deliveries (e.g., 3 or 6 months ago) does not eliminate the risk.
For example, in just one week in 2024, scammers used three real companies registered on transport platforms to steal multiple shipments.

Know Their Methods – Defend Against the Damage

“Wisdom lifts up her children and watches over those who seek her.” (Sirach 4:11)

Understanding how fraud is committed and analyzing real loss events allows companies to implement safety measures that can turn real fraud into mere attempts.

These countermeasures must be diverse, because the fraud schemes are. For example:

• Verifying a company’s reputation won’t help if scammers are only impersonating that company – because you’ll be reading reviews of a legitimate business, not the criminals.

That’s why learning from others’ mistakes is invaluable.
Don’t wait to experience these losses firsthand. Learn before it’s too late.

Protect Your Cargo with BtrustUP

Fraud methods in the TSL industry are constantly evolving, which means that relying on isolated documents, basic checks or unverified AI-generated answers may no longer be enough.

BtrustUP helps freight forwarders, carriers and logistics companies verify business partners more thoroughly, identify potential warning signs and make safer decisions before entrusting cargo to a counterparty. The platform brings together key verification data and automates time-consuming checks, helping your team reduce operational risk while maintaining a clear and structured verification process.

Verify smarter. Reduce risk. Protect your cargo. Try BtrustUP free of charge and see how automated carrier verification can support your business.

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