Have you recently received an email from the FMCSA requesting your personal information? More than likely, you were almost the victim of a dangerous FMCSA scam by a fraudulent party.
As freight fraud continues to plague the market at unprecedented levels, scam emails are increasingly sophisticated. The recent surge of emails falsely posing as the FMCSA has burned many carriers.
Here’s how the FMCSA scam works and how to avoid it.
How Does the FMCSA Scam Work?
Read the official statement from the FMCSA on this scam here.
This scam typically includes several steps. We will outline the red flags in each sequence of the scam.
- An email is usually received from safety@fmcsa.gov or filing@fmcsa.gov.
? These email addresses are fraudulent. The FMCSA has confirmed they do not exist.
- The email then requests that a carrier fill out the attached forms within a day, or a fee will be imposed. The email is shown below.
? A single day of turnaround time to complete a task and the threat of a fine is not the practice of FMCSA.
- The form request includes fields for a social security number and USDOT pin. The form is shown below.
? The FMCSA does not require this information on any of their forms.
- If you were to reply to the email, you’d discover that the return address has changed to fmcsa-safety-fmcsa.com.
? The FMCSA does not own this domain.
- Once the personal information has been forfeited and received, the scammers will proceed to gain access to your FMCSA account.
What Can You Do to Avoid It?
As noted in the previous section, this scam is littered with red flags divining its true nature.
If you ever receive an email you believe to be suspect, here are a few ways you can know for sure. We’ll use tips that could have directly tipped off a carrier about this particular scam.
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Verify that the email address is affiliated with the organization it claims to be. This can be done by running a quick search engine. Additionally, pay close attention to the email address. Scammers often change one character of an authentic email address to appear legitimate.
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Does the email threaten you or exert tremendous pressure on you to perform a task on a tight deadline with little or no notice? Emails of this nature are almost always scams.
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Does the email make requests for your personal information, potentially sensitive information? This is an immediate red flag. If you believe the request may be legitimate, take the time to call or contact the organization by alternative means to verify.
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When replying to the email, does the email address suddenly change? When you input the new domain into a search engine, does it deviate from the organization’s website? If so, it’s probably a scam.
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Finally, review the grammar and overall structure of the email. This scam was particularly skillful in appearing authentic, but many scams can be quickly detected by typos and strange formatting.
As freight fraud continues its rampant run in 2024, scammers are becoming more adept at creating believable emails. In this case, the scam poses as the FMCSA to steal information from carriers maliciously.
By verifying an organization’s information, including its email address, domain information, and standard procedures, you can spot fraud and stop it in its tracks.
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