Every autumn, the same pattern repeats itself. Volumes rise ahead of the holiday season, capacity gets tighter and dispatchers have less time for each order. For shippers and forwarders, the pressure is to find a truck fast. For carriers, it is to fill every slot. For fraudsters, this is the perfect environment.
From hijackings to stolen identities
Cargo crime is no longer just about thefts from parked trailers or attacks on drivers. Physical risks have not gone away, but more and more incidents start long before the truck arrives at the loading point – in an inbox, on a freight exchange or in a phone call.
Criminals impersonate real, well-established carriers, using their company data, documents and even similar-looking email domains. They take orders as a broker and pass them on to someone else without the shipper’s knowledge (double-brokering). Or they create “phantom loads” – fake freight offers designed to collect data, advance payments or access to real cargo.
What makes these schemes dangerous is that they often look like perfectly normal business. The documents seem correct, the price is attractive and the contact person is responsive. The red flags are there, but they are easy to miss when a team handles dozens of orders a day.
Platforms help – but they are not the whole answer
Freight exchanges and transport platforms verify the companies that use them and monitor suspicious activity. This is an important layer of protection, but it has its limits. Each company still needs its own procedures: who checks a new subcontractor, what happens when bank details suddenly change, when to call back using an independently verified phone number.
This is exactly where many companies – especially smaller ones – feel unsure. Security standards such as those developed by TAPA are often seen as something only large corporations can afford. In reality, many good practices can be adopted step by step, without big budgets.
Expert panel: Freight Security and Fraud in the context of Q4 peak season
To help transport companies prepare for the peak season, the European Road Transport Institute, in partnership with Trans.eu, is organising a free online expert panel on 22 October 2026 at 10:00 CEST. The discussion will be held in English.
The panelists will discuss:
- Cargo crime in Europe: current hotspots, high-risk cargo and new modus operandi
- How identity theft, fake carriers, double-brokering and phantom loads work in practice
- Where platform security checks end – and where your own protection must begin
- Security audits and standards (TSR, FSR, PSR), also for SMEs without big budgets
Participants will leave with practical takeaways: red flags that help spot fraud before a vehicle is dispatched, guidance on verifying carriers, subcontractors and drivers, and quick wins they can implement in their teams right away.
Who will speak?
- Agnieszka Wojnowska – Security Expert | XBS Logistics
- Piotr Sobala – Area Leader for Product Security | Trans.eu
- Małgorzata Łazowska – Managing Partner | SSC Poland
- Elena Lădariu – Managing Owner | Rocktrans Spedition
Moderator: Michał Pakulniewicz – Transportation Market Analyst, European Road Transport Institute
The panel is aimed at carriers, freight forwarders, transport managers at shipping companies, as well as risk management and security teams.
Participation is free. Registered participants will also receive access to the recording after the event.
