Q3 brought a major shift in freight fraud trends. For the first time in 2025, direct thefts have overtaken compromised emails and ownership-change abuse as the top drivers of fraud, with rogue carriers behind a growing share of theft and pilferage events.
Bad actors are adapting and becoming more tactful. From spoofed communications to attempted identity thefts, Highway blocked over 600,000 fraudulent attempts in Q3:
These numbers are just what was blocked. Cargo theft, email hijacking and imitating brokerages to steal loads is happening nationwide, and it comes at a price. According to The State of Fraud in the Industry Report by TIA, the average impact of a fraudulent incident can cost organizations more than $200,000.
Direct Theft, Carrier-Involved or “Rogue Carriers”
Direct theft happens when a bad actor gets possession of a load through deception or identity theft. A recent evolving threat for the industry is carrier-involved theft or “rogue carriers”. Rogue carriers operate legitimately, until they don’t. They have malicious intent, gain access through stolen credentials, hijacked MC numbers or simply abandon the route and take off with the load.
Compromised Email Inboxes
Once an inbox is compromised, fraudsters can impersonate trusted contacts, intercept rate confirmations, or redirect shipments and payments. Attackers often study conversation history to mimic legitimate communications, making it difficult to detect until a load has already been diverted or stolen.
Sold MCs or Ownership Change Abuse
Bad actors are exploiting the carrier’s established reputation to book shipments, collect payments, or divert freight while appearing legitimate on paper. The change can look official, making these schemes difficult to detect without trusted, continuous monitoring.
As freight volumes soar through the holiday rush, so does the risk of theft and fraud. The final quarter of the year consistently sees a surge in opportunistic attacks, with bad actors zeroing in on high-value and fast-moving freight across the country. For brokers, carriers, and shippers, staying alert to what’s being targeted, and where, can make all the difference.
What to Keep A Close Eye On
High-Risk Commodities:
Hotspots regions:
What Brokers Need to Know
Highway’s Q3 data shows that while fraud tactics continue to evolve, most thefts are still entirely preventable. Sticking to the basics of thorough verification, constant vigilance, and clear communication across every stage of the load remains the most effective way to protect freight and prevent losses.
FOR BROKERS:
To dive even deeper into what Highway is seeing in Q3 2025, download the Freight Fraud Index Report here.