Jenna Hume
Key takeaways
- Cargo theft losses in 2025 surged to $725M, with confirmed incidents rising and the true impact likely much higher.
- Thieves are using strategic scams, including “Trojan horse” drivers, email infiltration, and double-brokering scheme adjustments.
- Point of pickup remains the weakest link, where high turnover and limited training increase exposure to theft.
168387569 | Vitpho | Dreamstime.com
2025 was a good year for cargo thieves and, consequently, a bad year for the supply chain and the trucking industry. According to Verisk CargoNet, estimated losses rose by 60% to approximately $725 million, though the true figure is likely 10 to 15 times higher. Confirmed cargo thefts rose 18% year over year from 2,243 to 2,646.
CargoNet
The potential silver lining here is that cargo theft awareness is on the rise. According to Andrey Drotenko, president of strategic relations for Verified Carrier, awareness of strategic theft has increased in the industry as such incidents have become increasingly relevant. And this includes best practices to prevent strategic theft.
But cargo thieves are constantly evolving. So far in 2026, cargo theft experts have noted new scams, trends, weaknesses, and more.
Trojan horse scam exploits trucking vetting systems
In response to other cargo theft schemes, the trucking industry has cracked down on verifying the legitimacy of carriers. Unfortunately, in this chess match of cargo theft, the thieves have adjusted accordingly. Freight brokers and fleets are vetting carriers, but can they realistically vet every single truck driver?
“The bad guys, instead of trying to pass through some of these vetting platforms that are out there, send one of their crew members to go work as a driver at a legitimate trucking company,” Scott Cornell, chief risk officer for SPG Cargo & Logistics and chair of TAPA Americas, explained. “So now that the trucking company is a completely legitimate company, they would pass through the vetting process of any of these platforms, no issue-type scenario.”
The driver then hauls loads while communicating with their fellow thieves until a load they want comes up. The driver parks somewhere on their route, walks away, and the thieves swoop in to steal the cargo.
According to Cornell, the truck driver in these situations is often fired for leaving the cargo unsupervised in a breach of protocol. This is what the thieves want, so the driver can get hired somewhere else, and the cycle of theft can continue.
Unaware that they were being used to bypass vetting platforms, the trucking company believes it was a straight theft, when in fact it was a strategic theft. The Trojan horse scam doesn’t become clear until the driver and/or their equipment are connected to past thefts and firings. Experts have just begun to investigate and identify this particular scam.
To prevent this type of theft, Cornell says trucking companies should conduct thorough background checks on drivers. For freight brokers, Cornell recommends requesting drivers who have been employed for more than six months for high-value loads. There are also new and emerging technologies that can help verify drivers at the point of pickup as well as their equipment.
Verified Carrier
Emerging 2026 cargo theft trends reshape freight security risks
So far in 2026, there are a few other cargo theft trends emerging that the industry needs to be aware of.
Cargo thieves use hacking and email infiltration to intercept freight
Technology is not new to cargo thieves, but the sophistication of their technological theft attempts, especially via email, is increasing.
“The level of sophistication right now is increasing, whether [cargo thieves] are trying to have a domain name that looks exactly the same or going a step further and hacking into computers to where they can essentially have a team-viewer level access of what you’re doing,” Drotenko said. “And then they could go and do things from your computer, as if they’re you, and then delete any trace of emails or anything that they did … And I think that’s a new level of sophistication that in this industry hasn’t been a trend, and we’re seeing more of it.”
Cornell also emphasized increased email infiltration efforts from cargo thieves. Thieves are accessing a carrier’s email, intercepting communications, creating their own email address within the carrier’s email, and then bidding on loads. This method has also been used by thieves to commit double-brokering scams and circumvent traditional prevention methods.
Point of pickup remains top vulnerability
Cargo is at its most vulnerable at the point of pickup, a situation that hasn’t improved so far this year.
“The weakest link, though, is still going to be at the point of pickup,” Drotenko explained. “That’s where you have the highest turnover. Those people aren’t the ones who are going out to the conferences; they’re not the ones learning about the latest trends or what to look for.”
Drotenko emphasized the importance of training employees who are primarily at the point of pickup on current cargo theft trends and how to protect themselves from these scams.
Tight freight capacity challenges cargo theft prevention practices
Trucking has seen a tight freight market in 2026, as the U.S. economy has suffered and global unrest continues. For Drotenko, this raises concerns about the industry remembering and following through on cargo theft prevention best practices.
“At the end of the day, when you’re between a rock and a hard place in a tight market, you just don’t have the luxury of getting to say no to a lot of carriers to find a good one,” he explained.
Still, he encourages continuing strong vetting and verification practices, even as capacity tightens.
Overexposure of theft prevention tactics risks aiding cargo criminals
The trucking industry has made great strides in becoming more knowledgeable about cargo theft and sharing insights between fleets, brokers, and carriers, but how this information is shared has become increasingly important.
“The industry has a habit of posting its solutions on social media,” Cornell said. “The intent is good; the intent is ‘we want to help each other prevent theft.’ The problem is the bad guys keep an eye on us. They watch us, and they know what we do. And I think this is a perfect example of how they make adjustments.”
Truckers News Staff
Last week we asked, “During orientation, what single problem makes you question whether you should stay with this fleet?”
- 36.63% said, “Pay or bonuses explained differently than before.”
- 27.72% said, “Orientation is disorganized or changes last minute.”
- 23.76% said, “Hometime described differently than before.”
- 11.88% said, “I find out I won’t be getting my truck or getting on the road. when I expected.”
Last week we asked, “What improvement would make you most likely to complete more online applications?”
- 44.23% said, “Shorter first step with only basic information.”
- 40.38% said, “Being able to auto‑fill past job history/documents.”
- 15.38% said, “Having a recruiter finish the full app with me later.”
Last week we asked, “When you see a new trucking job ad, which one detail makes you believe it’s worth your time to look closer?”
- 44.44% said, “Clear weekly pay examples (not just CPM).”\
- 25.25% said, “Exact hometime schedule (days home, days out).”
- 20.2% sad, “Clear description of freight and routes.”
- 10.1% said, “Actual driver quotes.”
Last week we asked: “What is the main thing that turns a “maybe I’ll look around” feeling into “I am now applying for other driving jobs”?
- 48.99% said, “My paycheck drops and stays down.”
- 24.83% said, “My dispatcher/office changes how they treat me.”
- 19.46% said, “Company changes a policy that hurts drivers.”
- 6.71% said, “My home time gets cut back.”
Last week we asked, “If a job ad lists a pay range, where do you expect your weekly pay to fall?”
- 53.21% said, “At the top of the range.”
- 30.13% said, “Somewhere in the middle.”
- 8.97% said, “Below the range they advertised.”
- 7.69% said, “Near the bottom of the range.”
Last week we asked, “When a recruiter first calls you about a driving job, what is most likely to make you decide to end the call early?”
- 38.37% said: “They sound like they’re reading a script.”
- 30.31% said: “They won’t give a straight answer about pay.”
- 15.7% said: “They won’t give a straight answer about home time.”
- 15.12% said: “They talk over me and don’t let me ask questions.”
Texas Truck Repair
Introduction
The trucking industry has undergone a technological revolution with the introduction of electronic logging devices (ELDs). Designed to ensure compliance with hours-of-service (HOS) rules, these devices track driving hours and prevent driver fatigue. However, with strict regulations come loopholes, and some trucking companies and commercial drivers find ways to manipulate their ELD software.
ELD tampering is more than just breaking the rules—it’s a dangerous game that puts lives at risk. Let’s uncover the dark truth behind ELD manipulation, how it happens, and why it’s a growing concern.
Why Does ELD Manipulation Occur?
The pressure to meet delivery deadlines, avoid fines, and maximize profits often drives trucking companies and commercial drivers to manipulate their ELD systems. Some common reasons include:
Increased Driving Hours – The stricter the HOS rules, the harder it becomes for truck companies to move freight efficiently. Some drivers feel compelled to exceed limits to meet unrealistic schedules.
Financial Incentives – Long haul trucking means longer hours, and more hours equal more money. Certain companies turn a blind eye to falsified logs to keep deliveries on track.
Company Pressure – Some employers push drivers to complete runs faster, even if it means tampering with the ELD rider software to extend driving hours.
Avoiding Penalties – HOS violations can lead to hefty fines from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), leading some to manipulate logs rather than face penalties.
How is ELD Manipulation Executed?
Manipulating an electronic logging device isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It often involves calculated techniques, including:
Plugging into Truck Engines – Some drivers use external devices to alter log data. These plug-in tools override the ELD software, making it appear as if a truck isn’t moving when it actually is.
Ghost Drivers – Some companies assign logs to non-existent drivers, making it seem like two drivers are sharing the load when in reality, one driver is overworked.
Editing Log Entries – Certain ELD vendors offer back-end access, allowing ELD Rider representatives or fleet managers to tweak logs after the fact.
Switching to Personal Conveyance – Drivers misuse the “personal conveyance” status, making trips appear non-work-related to bypass HOS rules.
The Ripple Effect: Impacts of ELD Manipulation
Falsifying ELD data isn’t just about squeezing in extra miles—it has serious consequences.
Increased Fatigue & Accidents – Overworked drivers experience exhaustion, leading to slower reaction times and higher accident risks.
Liability for Trucking Companies – If caught, companies face penalties from the FMCSA, loss of licenses, and legal troubles.
Unfair Competition – Law-abiding trucking companies suffer when dishonest carriers cut corners and take on more loads illegally.
Faulty Truck Servicing – Trucks that exceed legal driving limits miss maintenance schedules, leading to dangerous breakdowns on highways.
What Can Be Done?
Stronger Enforcement – The Federal Motor Carrier authorities must step up audits and enforce stricter penalties.
More Accountability from ELD Vendors – Companies offering ELD Rider software must tighten security measures to prevent unauthorized tampering.
Better Education for Drivers – Many drivers don’t fully understand the risks of ELD failure or how to properly use an electronic logging device. Training is key. Random Inspections at Truck Shops – Regular checks at truck servicing locations can help catch manipulated systems before they hit the road.
Manipulating an electronic logging device may seem like a shortcut, but the risks far outweigh the benefits. Safety should always come first in the trucking industry, and that starts with enforcing compliance, supporting honest drivers, and holding lawbreakers accountable.
The road ahead must be one of responsibility, not deception.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is ELD manipulation and why is it dangerous?
ELD manipulation refers to tampering with electronic logging devices to falsify driving hours or hide violations. It’s dangerous because it enables driver fatigue, increases the risk of accidents, and undermines road safety.
- How do truck drivers or companies manipulate ELD data?
Common tactics include using external devices to override log data, assigning logs to “ghost drivers,” editing log entries through back-end access, or misusing the “personal conveyance” status to disguise work-related driving.
- What are the legal consequences of ELD tampering?
Tampering with ELDs is a federal offense. Trucking companies and drivers caught manipulating logs can face hefty fines, loss of operating authority, damaged reputations, and even criminal charges under FMCSA regulations.
- How can authorities detect ELD fraud during inspections?
Enforcement officers may check for inconsistencies in mileage, review GPS data, compare driver logs with supporting documents, and use telematics tools to uncover manipulation. Surprise audits and roadside inspections are key detection methods.
- What steps can trucking companies take to prevent ELD manipulation?
Companies can implement stricter internal audits, provide regular training on HOS compliance, choose secure and FMCSA-approved ELD vendors, and enforce zero-tolerance policies for tampering or non-compliance.
Log falsification remains the number one hours-of-service-related violation. Many people mistakenly believed that falsification would be a thing of the past once electronic logging devices (ELDs) were in widespread use. However, while ELDs made falsification harder and easier to spot (by officers and companies alike), it did not stop the practice.
Here are the common methods drivers use to falsify, followed by how you can catch it, and what you should do about it:
- Logging out when a limit is reached and then continuing to drive.
- How you can catch it: This becomes evident when you assign the unassigned driving time to the driver.
- What you should do about it: This type of falsification is why it is critical that you run an unassigned driving report each day and quickly deal with any unassigned driving time (see 395.32)!
- Driving without logging in to make a break long enough.
- How you can catch it: This is also evident when the unassigned driving time is assigned to the driver.
- What you should do about it: This is another reason quickly dealing with unassigned driving time is so important!
- Using one of the special driving categories (personal conveyance or yard move) to hide on-duty and driving time or to keep driving time from being recorded as driving.
- How you can catch it: Run a report that shows the use of these driving categories and make sure the use was legitimate.
- What you should do about it: If personal conveyance was used, you need to verify the driver was not moving down the assigned route line, did no work for the company, and did not end up in a better location as far as the company was concerned. If yard move was used, you need to verify the driver was in a yard (a privately owned area not open to public travel) during the movement (see 395.28 and Interpretation Question 26 to 395.8).
- Editing to create more hours.
- How you can catch it: This can be seen by running an edit report and looking for drivers who were short on hours and who edited a bunch of on-duty time to make it off-duty time.
- What you should do about it: Verify that the edits matching the falsification profile (on-duty to off-duty time) are legitimate edits (done to correct an error or omission). A common reason for such an edit is the driver forgetting to log out at the end of the day. This will be obvious. However, if the edit was done at a loading, unloading, fueling, or inspection location, the edit should be suspect (see 395.30).
- The appearance of ghost driver accounts.
- How you can catch it: These are driver accounts that do not have an actual driver assigned to them. These accounts are prohibited in the regulations (395.22) and are a common place for drivers to hide driving time.
- What you should do about it: To see if you have any ghost drivers, compare your driver roster to the driver list in your ELD system. If you discover a ghost driver, find out who created it and who has been using it.
- Minimizing on-duty time.
- How you can catch it: When looking at summary reports, be on the lookout for drivers who have the same amount of on-duty time each day (called cookie cutter logging) or have little or no on-duty time.
- What you should do about it: Look for specific patterns. When a driver is doing cookie cutter logging, the driver will always log the exact same amount of time for on-duty activities (for example, always five minutes for a pretrip or fueling and always fifteen minutes for loading or unloading, etc.) and the on-duty time will be surrounded by off-duty time. Also be on the lookout for drivers who have fewer on-duty hours than a typical driver at your company.
By watching for these and other common methods drivers use to falsify their logs — and taking quick action when falsification is found — you will go a long way toward reducing this common violation and improving highway safety in 2024 and beyond.
Key to remember: ELDs did not make falsification impossible. However, they did make it easier to see if you know what you are looking for and where to look.
Start right away to research, identify, and prepare for a future grant application prior to FMCSA’s NOFO announcement. If you decide to apply for a grant, one of the first steps to take is registering your organization at