Safety of deals

One of the most common fraud schemes. A shipper leaves a request on a website. At this time, fraudsters respond to his cargo, presenting themselves as a driver or logistics firm. They offer quite favourable conditions for cargo transportation, thus enticing the client to choose them. After the shipper agrees to the transport, the fraudsters find a real driver, offer him the transport, and conclude a contract with them. That is, in this scheme, the fraudsters are a layer between the real customer and the driver. For the driver, they are the direct customer, and for the shippers, they are the driver.

After the driver picks up the cargo, the fraudster asks to unload it at another address on the way, arguing that the warehouse at the end point is occupied, and he does not even have to deliver the cargo, he can unload it much earlier on the way. Then the driver unloads and gets the money for the freight, and the shipper is told for some time that the cargo is still on its way, after which they change phone numbers and disappear with the customer's cargo.

Shippers can be warned against this fraud scheme in the following way:

1. 1. Carefully check the trucking company's documents in the company's documents section.
2. 2. Pay attention to whether the trucking company has a verified profile on the website.
3. 3. Be present at the loading of the cargo by directly checking the driver's documents.
4. 4. Request all the driver's documents in advance, including their vehicle number, documents, licence, only ship to that driver, compare with the one you are communicating with.
5. 5. If necessary, organise a video call with the driver at the time of loading.
6. 6. If the driver belongs to a logistics company, carefully check the legal entity, how long it has been registered, read reviews, request all documents.

This scheme is the simplest and includes the following type of fraud. The shipper places an order, the dispatcher responds to it, offering favourable conditions of transportation. The shipper agrees, and the dispatcher is looking for a vehicle to load, offering the driver a high price for the haulage.

Just before loading, the 'Dispatcher' informs that it is necessary to make a prepayment, naming a conditional amount, usually a small percentage of the amount. After the prepayment is made, he sends the driver the coordinates of the load, the driver arrives and finds out that he has to drive for a lower price and that he has not received any prepayment.

The dispatcher disappears and does not answer the phone again. The shipper loses his advance payment and the trucker loses time and kilometres before loading.

Shippers can be warned against this fraud scheme in the following way:

1. 1. Shippers can be warned against this fraud scheme in the following way:
2. 2. Carefully check the trucking company's documents in the company's documents section.
3. 3. Pay attention to whether the trucking company has a verified profile on the website.

This scheme also involves an Intermediary who is ready to collect the order from the haulier. He concludes a contract with a good logistics company, acting as an intermediary.

The logistics company picks up and delivers the cargo. During the transport process, the intermediary sends a fake waybill to the shipper about the arrival of the cargo and makes him send money, then he disappears and the logistics company issues a second real waybill and makes him pay for the delivery.

Shippers can be warned against this fraud scheme in the following way:

1. 1. Avoid working with intermediaries.
2. 2. Thoroughly check documents before dispatch.
3. 3. Pay attention to user verification.
4. 4. Have a direct dialogue with the driver during the cargo transportation, find out his location.
5. 5. Check unloading location for availability of goods.

In this scheme, the intermediary is wedged between the shipper and the carrier. After the driver delivers the cargo, the intermediary takes the driver's money, which is transferred to him by the shipper for the transport, for himself. As a result, the driver suffers losses, wastes time and money, and actually delivers the cargo for free.

Cargo carriers can be warned against this fraud scheme in the following way:

1. 1. Check whether the company is a direct customer of the haulage company.
2. 2. Request company documents in a timely manner.
3. 3. Contract with the company, the carrier, see who owns the cargo and check the authenticity of the documents of the contracted company.

This article summarises the main fraud schemes in the trucking industry. As can be seen from the article, the main problems are related to the intermediary activities of fraudulent dispatchers. OCAS.PL team closely monitors the registration and providing documents. We fight against intermediary dispatchers and scammers, carefully checking documents and constantly improving the security of the site.