September 26, 2025
Share:
Cargo theft has exploded across U.S. supply chains. Theft incidents jumped more than 90% from 2021 to 2024, with the average stolen load valued at over $200,000.
Losses aren’t limited to stolen trailers. Fraud networks are staging diversions, impersonating carriers, and using cyber tactics to steal freight and payments at scale. The problem is so significant that the U.S. Department of Transportation has launched an initiative called Protecting America’s Supply Chain from Cargo Theft to gather data and close loopholes exploited by fraudsters.
DOT outlined two categories of risk:
For shippers, both categories create significant financial losses, operational disruption, and reputational risk.
Cargo theft generates billions in annual losses, driving up insurance premiums and forcing shippers to absorb costs of stalled production, retail chargebacks, and disputed claims. In one congressional hearing, an intermodal logistics executive reported that theft incidents at her company grew from just five in 2021 to over 870 in 2024, according to FreightWaves.
DOT is considering ways to prevent banned carriers from re-entering the market under new names or affiliations. That means shippers can expect tighter compliance standards from FMCSA and other DOT agencies.
DOT admitted that theft reporting today is “fragmented and inconsistent.” That mirrors the challenge many shippers face: compliance data scattered across brokers, insurers, and carriers, with no unified visibility into risk.
The rise of strategic fraud networks changes the game. Opportunistic thefts are damaging but often localized; organized fraud is cross-state, multi-jurisdictional, and increasingly digital.
Reported freight fraud losses surpassed $455 million in 2024, according to TruckNews. The Transportation Intermediaries Association found brokers facing escalating scams, with some losses topping $200,000 in just six months. Cargo theft at intermodal facilities and ports is also a growing concern, where high-value freight is most concentrated, as noted by the Department of Transportation.
For shippers, this means risk management must extend beyond traditional compliance snapshots.
Most shippers and brokers still rely on basic FMCSA checks: Is the MC active? Is insurance on file? Does the carrier have authority? These checks confirm existence, not legitimacy for a specific load.
Ops teams spend hours chasing certificates, calling insurers, and re-checking authority. That friction creates a false trade-off: speed versus security.
While DOT works through rulemaking, shippers can take immediate steps to protect their networks:
Move beyond onboarding snapshots to monitor carriers, insurance, and equipment throughout the entire load lifecycle.
Support and contribute to industry fraud intelligence efforts. Collective reporting strengthens national visibility and helps close gaps DOT has identified.
Use technology that enables instant compliance decisions without excluding qualified carriers, expanding capacity while reducing risk.
Shippers that modernize now will be positioned ahead of coming DOT and FMCSA mandates. Treating fraud prevention in logistics as core strategy, not compliance overhead, is the only sustainable path forward.
DOT warns that theft and fraud don’t just hurt freight markets—they can also fund illicit activities like narcotics trafficking, counterfeiting, and human smuggling, as highlighted in the DOT request.
That raises the stakes. Cargo theft prevention is no longer just about lost loads; it’s about supply chain security, corporate responsibility, and long-term resilience.
DOT’s crackdown signals a turning point. Cargo theft has evolved into a systemic risk demanding new approaches. For shippers, the message is clear:
By acting now, shippers can protect freight, future-proof compliance, and stay ahead of both fraudsters and regulators.
Q: What does the DOT’s cargo theft crackdown mean for shippers?
A: It signals rising federal scrutiny and potential new compliance rules. Shippers who adopt proactive fraud prevention now will stay ahead of regulation.
Q: How can freight brokers and shippers prevent double brokering scams?
A: Require VIN-linked insurance verification, validate carrier authority for specific lanes, and monitor loads with real-time tracking.
Q: Which freight categories face the highest cargo theft risk?
A: High-value goods like electronics, pharmaceuticals, and food & beverage loads are frequent targets, especially near ports and intermodal hubs.
Q: Why aren’t FMCSA checks enough to stop fraud?
A: FMCSA checks confirm existence but not legitimacy. Fraudsters exploit recycled MC numbers and spoofed contacts, slipping past static compliance.
Q: What’s the role of AI in cargo theft prevention?
A: AI compliance systems analyze dozens of variables per load, flagging fraud patterns, monitoring carriers in real time, and automating procurement decisions without slowing down operations.
