The U.S. logistics sector is sounding the alarm: nearly half of all reported cargo theft cases in 2025 were tied to carriers with previously trusted or clean operating histories. This phenomenon, termed "direct theft" – where a legitimate-looking or formerly legitimate carrier goes rogue – has emerged as the defining fraud trend of the past 18 months. Organized crime rings are purchasing dormant trucking businesses via social media and specialized brokerage services, or stealing legitimate carrier identities, to establish "legitimate-looking" front operations.
Financial losses have reached alarming levels: estimated cargo theft damages surged to $725 million in 2025, marking a 60% jump from 2024. The average theft now costs $273,990, up 36% from $202,364 the previous year. This increase signals that criminal groups are now targeting high-value freight with surgical precision. Across the U.S. and Canada, 3,594 supply chain crime events were recorded in 2025, with confirmed cargo theft incidents rising 18% year-over-year to 2,646 cases.
According to an FBI public service announcement dated April 2026, cyber threat actors have gained unauthorized access to broker and carrier computer systems – typically via spoofed emails, fake URLs, and compromised accounts – then pose as victim companies to post fraudulent listings on load boards. Technology platform Highway blocked 1,986,995 fraudulent email attempts in 2025, a 117% increase from 914,719 in 2024. The new scam unfolds as follows: a dormant or failing trucking company is acquired, the MC number remains valid and is used to gain trust with brokers and shippers, the business builds a temporary positive reputation with clean insurance and on-time pickups, then accepts a high-value load and vanishes.
CargoNet officials note that anti-fraud tools are working but forcing criminals into more elaborate schemes, with impersonation-based fraud and carrier identity exploitation expected to remain central threats in coming quarters. Q1 2026 data shows California recorded 277 incidents and New Jersey 59, with New Jersey's 119% surge continuing a trend of intensifying activity in regions linked to organized crime networks. Industry surveys reveal 22% of respondents lost more than $200,000 to fraud in the past six months, while another 10% spent over $200,000 on prevention efforts. Experts emphasize that companies applying systematic verification at every transaction stage – from booking through delivery – achieve far better outcomes than those relying on inconsistently applied security measures.
Note: This summary draws on Supply Chain 24/7's publicly visible headline and on 2025-2026 sector reports from FBI, CargoNet, Highway, and NICB on cargo theft and carrier fraud.
Key Takeaways:
1. Nearly half of 2025 cargo theft cases involved previously trusted carriers with clean histories (direct theft).
2. Estimated losses surged to $725 million (60% jump); average theft value rose to $273,990 (36% increase).
3. Highway platform blocked 1.99 million fraudulent email attempts in 2025 (117% increase vs. 2024).
4. Organized crime groups purchase dormant MC numbers to build temporary legitimate reputations, then steal high-value loads.
5. Organized crime activity intensifies in California and New Jersey, while opportunistic theft declines in regions like Texas.
