Auto transport fraud is rarely sophisticated. Most of it follows a handful of recurring scripts that have been working for years because the typical car shipper only does this once or twice in a lifetime and doesn't recognize the pattern. Here are the ones to watch for.
Scam 1: The Lowball Quote.
The setup. A broker quotes you a price 20-30% below the rest of the market. You book. You pay a deposit. Then, a few days before pickup (or sometimes at pickup), the broker comes back and says they couldn't find a carrier at that price; you'll need to pay more.
What's actually happening. The broker knew from the start that no carrier would take the load at that price. The low quote was bait to get the deposit. By the time they call you back, you're committed enough that paying the higher price feels easier than starting over.
How to avoid. Get three quotes. If one is dramatically lower, throw it out. The freight market sets a price; anyone way under it is selling fiction.
Scam 2: The Phantom Deposit.
The setup. A broker requires a deposit at booking, before a carrier is assigned. You pay. Carrier never gets assigned, or assignment keeps getting delayed. When you ask for the deposit back, the broker becomes hard to reach.
What's actually happening. The deposit was the entire point. Some operators run almost entirely on deposit collection rather than on actual shipments.
How to avoid. Book only with brokers who don't require a deposit until a carrier is assigned. The good ones don't.
Scam 3: The Identity Switch.
The setup. A company has built up a long list of bad reviews under one name. They quietly re-register under a new name, build a new website, and start fresh, often with the same people running it.
What's actually happening. The new name is a reset on accountability, not a new company.
How to avoid. Cross-reference the FMCSA record. The company name and address should match the website. Companies operating less than two years are higher risk; check what (if anything) the principals were doing before.
Scam 4: The Fake Review Wall.
The setup. A company has a wall of five-star reviews on their own website and on review sites they appear to have paid for. The reviews are all glowing, all roughly the same length, posted within suspiciously narrow windows.
What's actually happening. The reviews are bought or fabricated. Real reviews are messy: specific details, mixed sentiments, scattered timing.
How to avoid. Look for reviews on platforms the company doesn't control: independent forums, Reddit, Consumer Affairs complaints, Google reviews. Sort by most recent. Look for patterns of similar complaints.
Scam 5: The Damage Disappearance.
The setup. Your car arrives with damage. You file a claim. The broker tells you it's the carrier's responsibility. You contact the carrier. The carrier tells you it's the broker's responsibility. Both stop returning your calls.
What's actually happening. Damage liability between brokers and carriers is legitimately complicated, and weak brokers exploit that complexity to disappear when claims come in. Strong brokers handle it for you.
How to avoid. Ask the broker before booking how damage claims are handled. If the answer is "you'll deal directly with the carrier," that's a warning. The good brokers stay involved.
What to do if you've been scammed.
File a complaint with FMCSA at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov. File with Consumer Affairs. If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge with your card company. If the amount is significant, consider filing in small claims court; some operators settle rather than show up.
The most useful thing you can do, though, is leave a detailed and specific review on a site the company doesn't control. The next person searching for them will find your review, and the pattern of complaints is what eventually puts these operators out of business.