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Heard on the CB

Scam Emails and Calls Aimed at Truckers: How to Protect Your Company

If you hold a USDOT number, your inbox, phone and mailbox have probably filled up with offers: "your MCS-150 is overdue", "update your registration now", "lowest insurance rates", "get your compliance program". Some are legitimate companies selling a service you could do yourself. Some are outright scams. Since FMCSA moved to its new Motus system, the volume and the sophistication have gone up. Here is how to tell the difference and protect your company.

Why you get all this mail

When you register with FMCSA, your basic company information becomes public record. Marketers and criminals use that same data to build lists, and new USDOT numbers show up on those lists within days. FMCSA has said that new carriers in particular get confusing or misleading solicitations by phone, email, text and mail. A change like Motus is an opportunity for the people sending them, because carriers are already unsure what they have to do.

The common scams and pitches

  • Paid "MCS-150" or "USDOT renewal" services. A letter or email says your update is overdue or your number will be deactivated, and offers to file it for a fee. The biennial update is free to file yourself on FMCSA's own site. Trucking publications have reported invoices of several hundred dollars for it. Some of these carry FMCSA-style letterheads and threaten fines.
  • Fake Motus and FMCSA sites. FMCSA has warned about phishing emails with subject lines such as "Notice of Required Off-Cycle Update" that send you to look-alike Motus websites. FMCSA says the real Motus site is motus.dot.gov and that its own emails come from a .gov address. These emails aim to steal your PIN, your login and your identity documents, or to collect a payment.
  • Impersonating officials by text or phone. Anyone claiming to be DOT or FMCSA and demanding payment or personal details by text message should be treated as a scam. Industry groups say the agency does not text carriers asking for money.
  • Insurance spam. Mass quote offers that ask for your policy, your USDOT number, your drivers' information or a signed form. Some are just lead sellers who pass your details on to many agents, so expect more calls after you reply.
  • "Compliance packages" and programs. Drug and alcohol testing, driver qualification files, "audit protection", UCR renewals and similar. Some companies are legitimate, but many charge far more than the official fee, bundle things you do not need, or sell fear. UCR registration, for example, is done on the official ucr.gov site and the fee depends on your fleet size.
  • Buyers of aged USDOT numbers or authority. Offers to buy your number or authority. FMCSA has said trading in these can cost you your registration, and the number can then be used to commit fraud under your name.
  • Freight and broker fraud. Fake loads, look-alike broker emails and requests to change delivery details. See Is your freight broker legit?

A quick test for any message

  1. Were you expecting it? A "required update" that arrives out of the blue is suspect.
  2. Look at the sender address. Official FMCSA email comes from a .gov address. Look-alike domains, free email accounts and slightly misspelled names are red flags.
  3. Is there urgency or a threat? "Act now or lose your number" is the standard hook.
  4. Does it ask for a payment, a PIN, a login, your ID or a code? You never need to give those to someone who contacted you first.
  5. Does it want you to click a link or open an attachment? Do not. Type the real address yourself or use a bookmark.
  6. Is the price a lot higher than free? Filing your MCS-150 costs nothing at FMCSA.

Not every fee service is a scam

Some companies legitimately charge to file paperwork for you, track your deadlines or manage your compliance, and that can be worth it if you are busy. A legitimate service tells you who it is, states that it is a private company and not the government, gives you the price in writing up front, and never asks for your Login.gov password or your face scan. Search for reviews, check how long the company has been in business, and compare what it offers with doing the task yourself.

Protect your company

  • Know your registration schedule. If you know when your update is due (see How to update your MCS-150), a fake "overdue" notice carries less weight.
  • Secure the Company Official's accounts. Use a strong, unique password and two-factor sign-in on the email address tied to your FMCSA and Login.gov accounts. If someone takes over that email, they can take over your registration.
  • Keep one trusted person in charge. Decide who handles FMCSA, insurance and registrations. Tell drivers and office staff not to answer these requests themselves.
  • Check your record regularly. Look up your company on SAFER once a month for changes you did not make, such as a new address, phone number or fleet size, and watch your insurance and authority status.
  • Do not share documents lightly. Send your insurance certificate, W-9 or authority only to people you have verified, and never your PIN, your Login.gov details or ID images.
  • Go straight to the source. For anything that claims to be from FMCSA, your insurance company, your bank or a service you use, open the site yourself instead of using the link in the message.

If you already clicked or paid

  1. Stop. Do not reply, and do not pay anything more.
  2. If you gave a password, change it at once, starting with your email and Login.gov, and turn on two-factor sign-in.
  3. If you paid by card, bank transfer or app, contact your bank or card issuer immediately to dispute the charge and watch the account.
  4. If you gave your USDOT PIN, ID or login details, contact FMCSA through the official site right away and check your registration for changes.
  5. Keep the emails, invoices, links and phone numbers as evidence, and report it (below).

Where to report it

Scam tactics change quickly, so check FMCSA's current alerts. The same habits protect you from fake messages claiming to come from any service you use, including this one: type the address yourself and be wary of urgency.