Cargo thieves are now posing as your customers

Cargo theft isn’t just a back-alley job anymore. It’s organized, strategic and increasingly digital.

Today’s thieves don’t break in, they talk their way in. From fraudulent double brokering to fake pickup crews, these scams are rising fast and costing the industry almost half a billion dollars a year when you factor in downtime, claims and operational chaos. 

By 2024, nearly one-third of cargo theft cases in North America involved impersonation or fraud. These aren’t smash-and-grabs, they’re well-planned cons and fleets are struggling to keep up. 

What cargo theft looks like today

These are the new tactics putting your business at risk: 

1. Fraudulent double brokering:
Criminals pose as brokers, get a real shipment from a shipper, then hand it off to a fake carrier using forged or stolen credentials. The “driver” shows up, loads the cargo and disappears, leaving no delivery and no paper trail that makes sense.

2. Impersonation at delivery points:
A truck arrives at its destination. Someone in a branded vest says there’s been a change. New address, new truck or urgent transfer. They’ve got fake dispatch orders and just enough polish to convince the driver to hand over the goods. Once loaded, they’re gone.

3. Walk-ins at unsecured yards and facilities:
Some thefts are as easy as backing up to a trailer in an unsecured lot and driving off. Weak access controls at carrier yards and shipper facilities give organized crime exactly the window they need.

4. Theft at truck stops and rest areas:
When an entire fleet shares the same key, it only takes one stolen or duplicated key to unlock access to multiple vehicles.

Why these scams keep working

These scams succeed for a simple reason: Outdated systems and siloed communication. Drivers often operate alone, making quick decisions in high-pressure moments, with no real-time access to dispatch or verification tools.

Here are some of the most common gaps:

• No centralized access visibility: Fleet managers can’t protect what they can’t see. If you don’t know who accessed the vehicle, when or where, you’re flying blind.

• Manual delivery confirmation: Paper logs, phone calls, or unchecked instructions can be easily manipulated or forged.

• Lack of in-route verification tools: If a driver receives new instructions mid-route, there’s often no simple way to confirm whether they’re legitimate or not.

• Untracked handoffs: If a shipment is transferred to another truck mid-route, there’s often zero digital record.

• One-key-fits-all risk: Shared tractor keys across fleets open the door for anyone who gets their hands on a single copy.

Traditional theft protection like locks, alarms and fences is no longer enough...

What smarter day-to-day fleet security looks like

To defend against impersonation and social engineering scams, fleets need to shift from focusing on the cargo alone to focusing on vehicle access, driver support and operational verification.

This includes:

• Real-time access monitoring
  Know exactly who is accessing each vehicle, when and from where. If a driver is approached mid-route or something seems suspicious, fleet managers can check logs and step in fast.

• Driver-specific permissions
  Limit who can operate or access each vehicle, especially when roles change or contractors are involved. This prevents unauthorized personnel from even starting the vehicle.

• Centralized communication tools
  Drivers need a secure way to verify route changes or delivery details without relying on calls or texts that could be spoofed. Integrated platforms let them confirm updates directly with authorized dispatch.

• Remote vehicle lockdown
  If a threat is detected, whether through suspicious access or a call from a driver, fleet managers should have the ability to lock the vehicle down remotely to prevent movement or unauthorized unloading.

• Digital delivery verification
  Replacing paperwork with authenticated digital delivery confirmations helps eliminate forged documents and reduces uncertainty at handoff points.

Why hope for the best when you can plan for security?

Nowadays, when thieves no longer just steal, access control is your first line of defense.
Keystone by Irdeto is a digital key and access control platform that puts visibility, control and decision-making back in the hands of fleet managers. Before, during and after every trip!

With Keystone by Irdeto, fleet operators can:

• Assign driver-specific digital keys
• Monitor vehicle access in real time
• Remotely lock vehicles when threats arise
• Create audit trails for every movement, unlock or route change

Protect your fleet from manipulation, not just force.
Learn how Keystone by Irdeto can keeps access in the right hands, always!