In recent years, criminal groups have become smarter and more tactical. They have been developing elaborate procedures to steal freight and take advantage of brokers. Fraud has also become increasingly rampant and can cause serious damage to a company. Some shippers even lose their freight to criminals who devise fake companies and contracts. Here are some quick tips that can help you partner with your carriers to better protect your freight.

• Choose a carrier who has strict screening policies in place for hiring drivers and employees. Background checks, driving records, and drug tests all help to ensure that individuals are trustworthy and legitimate.
• Choose a carrier who trains drivers to implement safe practices like fueling the truck before a pick-up, carrying paperwork at all times, being especially watchful right after pick up and before delivery, not stopping for the first 200 miles (to deter pursuers), and not disclosing any details about the load which can all help inhibit thieves. Encouraging drivers to always plan their stops, lock their equipment, park in well-lit areas close to facilities, leave plenty of room to pull away in case of emergency, and when possible to back trailers up to fences or walls will also decrease the chance of theft.
• Choose a carrier who uses high-tech tracking systems. Some devices can remotely disable a stolen truck, and others have features like driver authentication, unattended idle protection, real-time reporting, remote lock and unlock, and panic buttons. Real-time GPS tracking systems allow shippers to track their freight at any time.
• Choose an asset-based carrier. By eliminating intermediaries and being in control of equipment and drivers, these carriers reduce the risk of your cargo falling into the hands of fraudulent brokers or drivers.
• Choose a carrier that stays informed with the most up-to-date information. There are online databases that provide cargo crime statistics from across the US. This enables carriers to determine risky areas and commonly targeted products, which in turn helps them implement appropriate strategies to avoid threats. These databases also offer real-time reporting capabilities to the carrier should a cargo theft occur, allowing the information to be spread quickly and the appropriate authorities to be notified.

 

Choose a carrier that utilizes a multi-layered approach. When all of the above strategies are implemented together, the effectiveness of each increases. Additionally, the more barriers that thieves consistently see, the more likely they are to be discouraged from pursuing a particular carrier.

For more tips on how to prevent theft and fraud, check out these articles from The Enforcer and Inbound Logistics.